Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter
by The Gifted Ten
Summary: Centered around the relationship between Naraku and Sesshoumaru. Watch the story unfold as two authors team up to write the most awesome fanfic ever! Warning: voilence, mild gore, a little language, adult themes, & yaoi goodness!)
1. Sesshoumaru's Defeat

Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter  
  
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde  
  
Part One: Sesshoumaru's Defeat  
  
Naraku sneered viciously. He'd defeated that wretched Hanyou no problem. All that remained was the nuisance that was none other that the Hanyou's annoying older brother. "Just walk away Sesshoumaru, that is..... If you value your life," Naraku said in that arrogant, velvety voice of his, smirking at the silver haired demon all the while. He had the full Shikon no Tama, making him utterly invincible.  
  
"You, a half-demon spawn, dare to threaten me, Sesshoumaru?" He walked a little closer, filling in the space that separated them, and glared down at Naraku's twisted grin. "Foolish."  
  
"Half demon I am no more. And you've just taken a step too close!" Naraku pulled his arm back, fingernails extending into claws, and lunged at the demon, aiming to sink his claws into the demon's chest.  
  
Sesshoumaru dodged the attack with ease, but also noting Naraku's newfound speed and strength... perhaps this would take a bit longer to end than he'd expected. * He's testing out his new abilities on me *, he thought. *Well, why not give the whelp a taste of what I can do...*  
  
Naraku chuckled. He'd figured this demon would not be one so easily killed. "Is running away all you can do, Sesshoumaru? Why.... You're no better than your brother." He knew that insult was sure to get the youkai's attention.  
  
"Do not dare to compare ME, Sesshoumaru, with that defeated half-breed!" He lunged at Naraku, baring his poisonous claws, and only managed to severe a few strands of hair--which immediately grew back. *He's fast* he thought.  
  
'That was close...' Naraku growled. He stood in front of Sesshoumaru. "Poison claws.... Ha...." He held out his hand, fingertips spread and pointed at the sky, palm towards Sesshoumaru.  
  
"Die..." He smirked and let loose a corrosively poisonous gas, holding the effects that Sesshoumaru's claws would, only he didn't have to even move.  
  
His instincts warning him to get away from this unknown threat, Sesshoumaru leaped into the air, Naraku close on his heels. "Do you honestly think that you have a chance?"  
  
"I could ask you the same question." His arms turned into branch like appendages and wrapped themselves around Sesshoumaru's ankles, pulling down with great force. "You're as good as dead!"  
  
Sesshoumaru slashed at the arms with his energy whip and landed on the ground properly. "You're tricks do not amuse me, Kumo." And with that, he proceeded to draw out Tokijin.  
  
Naraku's normally impassive face twisted into a bitter grin, his limbs returning to normal and he dropped down to the ground. "You are foolish indeed Sesshoumaru." He held his palm up, facing the sky, his forefinger moving in a beckoning way. "You dare use a sword crafted from my own flesh against me?!" The Tokijin's evil aura would begin to prove troublesome for even Sesshoumaru to control.  
  
Tokijin vibrated in Sesshoumaru's hand, and faintly gave off a small aura that smelled of Naraku. Sesshoumaru used his will to suppress the sword's effort to be commanded by its source. It did little to help, save but to buy him a little time--which he would make worth his while. Sesshoumaru raised his pulsing sword and flooded it with his own raw demon power and shot it at Naraku's grinning face.  
  
His palm was held up to the attack. He channeled his own demonic power, drawn mostly from the jewel embedded in his chest, and created a barrier with bolts of black electricity dancing around the barrier as if daring anything to touch it. "You cannot defeat me. You'll end up as your brother did!"  
  
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and channeled more power into the attack...As this went on for another minute or two, (with Naraku still shamelessly mocking him), Sesshoumaru lunged forward, quickly closing the gap in- between them. Naraku had no time to react before being punched in the face by his poisoned fist. "Learn your place, Kumo...... "He smirked, "on the ground."  
  
Naraku bolted up from where he had been knocked down, his face healing rapidly. He brought his fist to Sesshoumaru's chest, breaking his armor. "Dogs like you belong in the mud, you filthy mutt" He finished off his attack with a round kick to Sesshoumaru's back, ready to attack again with a barrage of poison vapor.  
  
Sesshoumaru slid on the ground, shocked by how quickly Naraku had recovered and pulled off a counter-attack. But his composure was soon regained as he stood up and once again raised the Tokijin to his foe. But as he began channeling his power through it again, Naraku saw this and summoned up an immense reservoir of his own power and shot it through the Tokijin. The sword in  
  
Sesshoumaru's hand immediately glowed bright red, quickly cutting off the power he had been putting into it. He glared at Naraku--who looked quite pleased with himself--and slowly sheathed, the Tokijin back into his sash. The sword returned to normal--not being aimed at its "mother flesh", but Sesshoumaru knew he wouldn't be able to use it again during this battle. Only slightly deterred, Sesshoumaru took on a face of neutrality as his eyes turned bloodshot, and his irises changed to a bluish hue.  
  
"Now.... You will experience the power of a true demon. Watch closely, Kumo, because you might be dead before you get a chance to learn anything.  
  
"Oh no....threats from a pathetic insolent puppy; I'm terrified"  
  
And with that, his form twisted and grew until he was standing on all fours- -in his true form.  
  
Naraku smirked. "You're even less of a threat in that form." The dog demon only had three legs. Naraku's violet eyes swept over him, mentally analyzing his opponent, noting both the strong points (teeth and claws) and the weaker areas (Behind his neck and on his back), he took a fighting stance, waiting for the dog to make the first move.  
  
Sesshoumaru circled around Naraku--who kept a steady gaze on him--and tried his earnest to move properly without his left front leg. 'Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea', he thought to himself, 'but this way, I can see him better and I don't have to hold anything back.' He lunged at Naraku, who dodged his attack with mild ease--just what he'd wanted.... Sesshoumaru whipped his head around while Naraku was still evading his charge and spit out poisonous saliva--which was even more potent now that he was in his true form. It hit Naraku with a force that knocked him to the ground, which sizzled around him as the poison ate away at it.  
  
A thick miasma poured out of his back as the poison ate through his clothing sizzling his flesh. It enveloped the area with its suffocating thickness. Naraku growled, rising shakily on his legs, his back trying to heal itself, but slowed due to the potent quality of the acidic poison. When the Miasma dispersed, Naraku stood rigid, with his back to Sesshoumaru. Torn remnants of Naraku's former outfit clung to parts of his back. His spider scar was almost glowing as Naraku's rage increased. He turned to face the dog, eyes glowing a crimson red.  
  
'Going to show your true self, are you, Kumo?' Sesshoumaru thought. He barked in mild triumph. He leaped into the air, aiming his landing on Naraku's rigid form, claws and teeth at the ready.  
  
Naraku's arms shot out, turning into those twisted branch-like limbs once more, wrapping themselves around the attacking demon's throat, tightening and then tugging downward. More limbs sprouted from his shoulders wrapping around the dog's legs. Victory for Sesshoumaru was anything but near at hand.  
  
Sesshoumaru could hardly breathe, and his legs were useless in Naraku's grip. Remembering what his saliva had done the last time he used it, Sesshoumaru turned his head and let himself drool on the branches that constricted his neck. Below, he could see Naraku flinch with the searing pain of the poisonous acid, but he somehow shot out more limbs at him to strengthen his old around his throat. Sesshoumaru twisted in the air and coughed up more saliva that flew everywhere, causing many of Naraku's limbs to loosen their hold around him long enough for him to twist free and fall to the ground with a loud thud.  
  
Panting, Sesshoumaru shook off the arms that had managed to still cling to him, even though they were no longer attached to Naraku. He managed to get out a low growl to show his displeasure, but his throat hurt something awful, and he realized that Naraku had surged some of his own poison through his membranous limbs and had somehow managed to pierce his skin, mixing the deadly concoction with his blood. As he watched Naraku pull back together, he could feel the poison working its way through his body, and with every minute, he found it harder to stay alert.  
  
Naraku pulled back the branches, they returned to normal, yet badly wounded arms. Even with the added power of the Jewel tainted with pure malevolence, his energy was being rapidly consumed having to heal. Sesshoumaru was a worthy opponent. And just that thought made Naraku want to hate him more. A wicked smile crossed the powerful full-fledged youkai's face as he inched slowly towards the battered Sesshoumaru. "Give up. This fight, you cannot win."  
  
Sesshoumaru knew that he would not be able to last much longer if he didn't do something about the poison that was consuming him. Taking a step back, he glowed white and turned into a flashing white ball of light, and slowly took the shape of his human self. Grimacing at the condition his body was in, Sesshoumaru reached up towards his sword, but this time, he unsheathed the Tensaiga, which glowed a brilliant blue-black as it proceeded to heal his wounds.  
  
Naraku's smile was turned into a vicious sneer. He himself could barely mask his own lack of energy but he couldn't allow the demon to regain full power. He shot out his branch limbs and tore the blade away from its owner, flinging it far off into the distance. He grimaced but covered it up with a glare. "Tsk. tsk... So weak you have to resort to a blade? I pity you."  
  
Sesshoumaru glared up at him, but cursed himself for counting on the fact that he assumed Naraku would be too weak and stupid to try and pull off something like that. In any case, though, the Tensaiga had healed much of his outer wounds, but he could still sense the poison coursing in his veins. He raised his hand up to Naraku and shot out tiny needles that threatened Naraku's hair another trim.  
  
Naraku smirked and created a small barrier to negate the attack. Had he more energy, he would have made more of a spectacle out of it. Now he was only going to use what he must. His palm was out towards Sesshoumaru. "Give up you wretched, worthless, piece of trash. You aren't worth my time...."  
  
Knowing another surprise-attack like he'd done last time wasn't possible, Sesshoumaru simply ceased, though his hand still raised defensively. Not knowing how to attack him successfully, he waited for Naraku to make the next move.  
  
Naraku snarled. Obviously neither of them was going to back down. So now it was all or nothing. "Since neither of us will submit.... I propose a final attack.... Winner is the one still standing... namely, me." He wasn't going to give him a choice either way. At that very moment he was gathering 3/4 of the remainder of his power into a final attack.  
  
"Fine." Sesshoumaru proceeded to gather his remaining power for the proposed attack; his being emanating a red glow as tiny little electric power sparks flickered around him... Naraku, it seemed, was nearly finished concentrating his power, so he had to hurry.  
  
He held both his hands out in front of him; his evil aura filled the clearing their battle had made. Bolts of that black electricity danced about his body, sometimes colliding with Sesshoumaru's energy as well.  
  
Sesshoumaru was almost finished collecting his powers when suddenly, Naraku charged at him unexpectedly, and he barely had time to collect himself and lunge forward himself.  
  
"Heh, not ready yet, were you, dog demon?" Naraku jeered.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes thinned, "I'm ready enough for the likes of you!"  
  
The space between them was closing fast, and both could almost taste their own victory.  
  
Sesshoumaru was using the gap as an advantage to gather more power, though he didn't like the fact that Naraku was picking up speed.  
  
Finally, there was no gap, and the two foes slammed against each other with a force that cleared and shook the ground as a deafening clap of thunderous power exploded on contact as the auras of Naraku and Sesshoumaru collided.  
  
Barely able to stand his ground, Naraku glared at Sesshoumaru through the energy rips, seeing the youkai's face beaded with sweat.  
  
Sesshoumaru didn't know how long he could keep this up and suddenly thought of something...Tokijin. He knew he wouldn't be able to wield it for any length of time, but before it refused him, he could at least throw it at Naraku or make a quick stab at him. It was a gamble, it had to work--he had no other options left. Glancing down at the sword, Sesshoumaru saw it was not glowing red and he quickly made to draw it out.  
  
Naraku saw as Sesshoumaru glanced at his precious Tokijin, 'hoping to get in one final move, are you?' Naraku thought. He waited for the opportune moment before acting  
  
Sesshoumaru had successfully drawn out the Tokijin without Naraku seeing him--or so he thought--and as he raised it in a final attempt to finish the spider, he saw Naraku's face twist in an evil grin. Suddenly, he felt a gut- wrenching pain, and he looked down to find Tokijin embedded in his stomach.  
  
The clashing auras slowly died down as two figures could be seen in the clearing dust. One was standing proud and tall, glowering at the hunched figure that had a sword protruded through him.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... you really are a fool, Sesshoumaru. After I warn you of using my own flesh against me, and seeing what could happen if you did, you still defy yourself and try a lame attempt at attacking me with the Tokijin." Naraku walked over to the youkai and stood over him for a second before leaning down to Sesshoumaru's line of view.  
  
Sesshoumaru could barely stand anymore, but he wouldn't let Naraku see him fall.... Couldn't.... Suddenly, he was looking straight into Naraku's deep, purple orbs, which were regarding him with a mild satisfaction.  
  
Naraku smirked, satisfaction written all over his smug face. "Let me help you with that." He said, his voice acidic, grasping the hilt of the blade he'd just rammed into Sesshoumaru's stomach not even a minute before. He pulled it out excruciatingly slow, making sure Sesshoumaru knew of his defeat with every painful second.  
  
Sesshoumaru gasped in pain as Naraku took his time removing the Tokijin from his belly. Dark demon blood gushed from his wound as the tip of the sword was now drawn out. Sesshoumaru fell to one knee as his body shuddered with pain and fatigue. Faintly, he could still feel the poison Naraku had implanted in him as it continued its course through his blood stream, making him weaker by the minute.  
  
Naraku reached out, tilting the demon's chin up so he could add further insult to devastating injury. He dragged his tongue along the blade, making sure Sesshoumaru was watching. He smirked. "Your blood tastes almost better than your brothers.. Almost. "He hissed into his ear before tossing the blade away like it was nothing.  
  
Sesshoumaru choked on some blood that was gathering in his mouth before he spat, "Nara.... Ku..." he couldn't finish what he wanted to say as he started coughing up blood uncontrollably  
  
Naraku's lips twisted into a grin so devilish and wicked, the devil himself would have been red with envy. He redirected the Youkai's attention once more to his face. Black blood stained his enemy's lips and chin. Naraku held the other youkai's chin firmly in place, pressing his lips to Sesshoumaru's and then pulled away, licking his own with sadistic glory. "Yet, I find your blood tastes so much sweeter from you lips, Sesshoumaru."  
  
Stunned, Sesshoumaru could only stare back at Naraku--though on the inside he wanted to rip his face off with his claws--he couldn't move hardly at all. The poison in him had almost completely consumed him. The last thing he remembered seeing was Naraku's cruel smile as his vision failed and he collapsed onto the ground, unconscious  
  
Naraku looked at Sesshoumaru with cold and bitter eyes; he savored every second of Sesshoumaru's agony before he collapsed. Surely, he couldn't let such an interesting plaything just die like that. Oh heavens no.... His newest toy would live..... But for how long..?  
  
A/N: heeeeee!!!! How do you like part one?! I'm co-writing this with my friend (Derrangedblonde), and it's the most fun I've had ever! Check out the next part: Poison 


	2. Poison

Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter  
  
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde  
  
Part Two: Poison  
  
  
Naraku picked up a noise, the ruffling of Sesshoumaru. "And I would have thought a demon like you would have awakened faster." He snickered. "So how does it feel? The poison coursing through your veins.... Doesn't it just make your nerve ending blaze with pain?" He never turned his head to look at the captive in his fortress. He sat in his usual spot, gazing out into space, waiting for a response, a vicious smirk on his face.  
  
Sesshoumaru couldn't speak; he didn't know if it was the poison or if he was too weak to form the words. In either case, all he could do was lie there and stare at Naraku's back to him.  
  
"Oh come now.... The silent treatment... tsk. tsk.... Maybe I can get a scream out of you if you won't speak of your own free will." He looked back over his shoulder, giving him a glance that certified his threat. "After all.... That's the only reason I brought you back to my fortress.... Your face looks delightful when it's contorted in agonizing pain."  
  
"D-damn you... Nara.... ku..." He tried to sit up, but the searing pain caused him to fall back on the matted floor wheezing for breath.  
  
Naraku grinned. "Conquering a proud spirit like yours will most certainly make my day." Swiftly and gracefully, he rose to his feet, padding over to Sesshoumaru before he began to circle him like he was nothing more than sharks bait. Naraku's eyes were locked on his.... No matter where he was. "Care to try again? I know you want to kill me." He crouched onto the ground, holding his throat open, teasing. He knew Sesshoumaru could do nothing. He was just making sure Sesshoumaru knew that as well.  
  
Sesshoumaru glared at Naraku through clenched teach. How much he wished he could raise his claws to that throat.  
  
Naraku chuckled bringing up a clawed hand. "I could kill you so easily right now." He said softly, as he dragged his nails in ambiguous designs on Sesshoumaru's throat. "So easily." He pressed a little harder, waiting for the wince he wanted to see.  
  
Sesshoumaru bit back his pain and disgust as Naraku's nails threatened to pierce his throat. In a last attempt, he spat in Naraku's face.  
  
And quickly after, five claws had firmly lodged themselves into his throat. "So... easily." He smirked and yanked his claws free, licking the blood off like it were candy, taking his dear sweet time as if trying to seduce someone. And he was doing it all to mock Sesshoumaru.  
  
Sesshoumaru's breath became ragged as five new holes in his skin dripped blood down his neck and onto the floor. He shut his eyes from the pain, but also so he wouldn't have to look at Naraku's grinning face. He turned his head in disgust.  
  
"Fine... if you won't speak to me..." Naraku grinned devilishly. "Maybe you will speak to me?" He'd only mimicked Rin's voice. He'd seen the girl, known how much Sesshoumaru cared for her. That would get his attention.  
  
His eyes shot open and he turned his head around to see Naraku grinning with his all too familiar look as he spoke again in the little human child's voice  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama...." He sneered. "You are pitiful" Naraku gripped Sesshoumaru's throat, standing and dragging Sesshoumaru with him. "So easily are you manipulated" His voice was his own once more. He sneered, looking up at Sesshoumaru. And after a second, Naraku dropped him. As if he'd lost interest....  
  
With his face to the floor, Sesshoumaru let out a moan as he felt himself being pulled up by his hair. Naraku leaned in and whispered in his ear  
  
"I grow tired of you. Do you wish to live, Sesshoumaru?" His voice was sharp, threatening. "Answer me Sesshoumaru." His claws went to Sesshoumaru's throat once more. "This time I won't show you any mercy.." Those claws of his grew nearer and nearer to Sesshoumaru's throat with every second he didn't answer.  
  
"W-what difference *cough* does it make what I answer..? You'll just kill me anyway once I am of no interest to you." He reached up with his free arm and took hold of Naraku's clawed hand, bringing to his throat. "Here.... Kill me."  
  
"Kill you? But that's such a terrible waste of a plaything. Wouldn't you agree?" He almost hissed the words into his ear. Naraku's claws changed course, heading for Sesshoumaru's fair face. Sesshoumaru's pitiful grip on his hand made his smirk grow wider. He wanted a good look at his face. So, Naraku repositioned himself so he was no longer at Sesshoumaru's side, but was now facing him, locking eyes with him as Naraku's fingertips touched the Inu youkai's cheek with mock gentleness. Soon, fingernails joined fingertips in tracing the same ambiguous markings as he made on Sesshoumaru's throat. "You still have yet to answer my question... Do you want to live?"  
  
Sesshoumaru honestly did not know the answer to the question. He was confused; for once his usual instincts gave no answer. Uncertain, he turned his head and stared at the wall.  
  
"Did I say to look over there?" Naraku's voice was sickeningly sweet, but his actions most certainly were not. He grabbed Sesshoumaru's chin, jerking it to where they were locking eyes. "Do not look away from death.... Because it will only make it's presence better known." His claws dug into  
  
Sesshoumaru's face, marring it. Rapidly, Naraku scanned Sesshoumaru's thoughts. He narrowed his eyes. "Surely even you have something worth living for. Maybe it's the girl?"  
  
Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to Naraku's gaze. Thoughts of the human child, Rin, came to his mind. 'No.... she knows nothing of my problems or me. She is merely a distraction.' Until recently, his revenge against his half-brother had been his occupation, but now that he was dead, he no longer knew what to do with his life. He already possessed a powerful sword that could match that of the Tetsusaiga, but today it had even proven useless against a foe in battle. He had nothing now. Nothing.... He focused back on Naraku's face. "I.. Don't have a purpose to live.. anymore."  
  
"And if I gave you a purpose to live.... What would you give me in return? Surely.... "Naraku released his hold on Sesshoumaru, watching as he all but collapsed on the floor. "You don't just want to die. Someone like you, whom could have so much. Someone who had wasted his life trying to take another's would surely want a second chance." With a wave of his hand, all the wounds Naraku had inflicted were gone, including the hole the Tokijin had made in Sesshoumaru's stomach. However, the poison remained to keep Sesshoumaru subdued. "Stand up and tell me.... Do you want a second chance?"  
  
Sesshoumaru regained himself and slowly got to his feet. He was just barely taller than Naraku by maybe a couple inches. He looked into the spider's unblinking eyes as he imposed another question: "And if I said 'yes', what kind of purpose to live could you--a bringer of death--possibly give me? He was dead serious, and he was also just as curious to Naraku's answer.  
  
"If you said yes...." Naraku stepped slowly to a position behind Sesshoumaru, waving his hand. The scenery changed. Sesshoumaru was standing tall, triumphant over his brother. "You could reclaim your honor...." The scene was a perfectly crafted illusion; even the wafting breeze carried the scent of Inuyasha's spilt blood upon it. The grass rustled.  
  
Sesshoumaru blinked at the realism the illusion brought, but he still knew it was just an image of Naraku's creation; it wasn't real. That was one thing Sesshoumaru would never forgive Naraku for: the death of his brother. He'd imagined how he would have done it, and then this baboon of a spider-- not even a true demon at the time--comes in and takes away his revenge. Sesshoumaru merely looked straight ahead.  
  
"Or." the disdain was apparent in his velvety voice. You could...." The scene changed once more. They were in a castle-like structure. Sesshoumaru would now be kneeling on the stone floor in front of an imposing man.... Sesshoumaru's father.... "Re-live life with your father..." His father stood, motioning for him to rise, holding out a sword that could only be the Tetsusaiga. "And since you were the only child.. Inherit the Tetsusaiga."  
  
"The past does not hold any interest for me. And neither do your worthless visions." He turned around and faced Naraku. "Give me something real."  
  
Naraku waved his hand; they were standing once more in his fortress. Sesshoumaru's blood had stained the floor. Upon hearing his words, a wicked grin crossed his lips. 'You are mine...' He thought viciously. "Like what, Sesshoumaru? What could your hardened heart possibly desire? Hmm? Tell me... Let me help you." He was definitely the devil's incarnate.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyebrow twitched. 'What is he getting at?' "I'm not following you." He took a nervous step backwards.  
  
Naraku chuckled. "I was merely asking what you would want, Sesshoumaru. 'Give me something real' doesn't exactly give me a definition of what you want." He raised an eyebrow, scanning Sesshoumaru's thoughts. "Keep in mind nothing you ask me can have anything to do with me. Like you cannot wish for my death.."  
  
Sesshoumaru began to ponder what it was Naraku was asking him. He came to a dead end. He risked just one more question to the waiting kumo. "I need some time to think this over." not really phrasing it as a question.  
  
Annoyance graced his features for just an instant. "Very well... time you have... but not a lot.... I'm not a patient demon, Sesshoumaru." Naraku resumed his place near his favorite wall. He'd turned his back on Sesshoumaru.... Clearly it wasn't a wise move.... But Naraku knew what he was doing.... And had a few tricks up his sleeves.  
  
Sesshoumaru watched as Naraku returned to the window, noticing that the demon as deliberately turning his back on him--which would have been very foolish had they been in different circumstances. Sesshoumaru leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. The poison still coursing through his veins made it hard for him to think clearly, and allowing it not to show through his steel exterior was beginning to wear on him. But now he needed to think. What exactly did he want? He'd never been asked that question before in all his life, and now his enemy, who'd imprisoned him in his fortress, was asking him what he wanted in life. He began to think through the events that had just happened; perhaps he'd missed something. He dove further into the past, going over all the details that had to do with that baboon, Naraku.  
  
When at last he found himself back in the present, Sesshoumaru was intrigued. This whole time Naraku had made it clear that all he wanted was the Shikon no Tama--which he now possessed. And along the way, he'd done all he could to attain it, including getting Sesshoumaru involved to dispose of his brother, who'd been a thorn in Naraku's side from the beginning.  
  
Naraku was listening into Sesshoumaru's thoughts. He growled softly when he realized the Inu youkai was thinking at too fast a pace for him to understand coherently. He only caught fractions of words... tiny glimpses of memories. Disdain once again covered the kumo's face.  
  
.And even though Inuyasha and his friends were no more, Naraku still had not taken his bow and left the stage. So here he was, trapped inside this phantom fortress, and yet it still was not clear to him what Naraku's desire was. Which brought Sesshoumaru to his answer. Slowly, Sesshoumaru pushed away from the wall and made his way over to the window in which Naraku sat gazing at the starless sky.  
  
"Made your decision?" Naraku didn't move at all, he was anticipating Sesshoumaru to try and attack. Naraku was not a trusting creature... Nor did he do things without purpose. He silently waited for an answer... or a wrong move on Sesshoumaru's part.  
  
"I have decided that I will kill you for denying me my brother's death...but, in the meantime... I wish to understand you, Naraku--" the kumo's head slightly turned his direction, but stopped halfway--"and I don't really care how long or what it takes. I wish to know my enemy."  
  
Naraku rose to his feet, turning to face Sesshoumaru with an unreadable expression. "You want to waste this opportunity to have the entire land of Japan bowing at your feet.... To know about a demon's past." He smirked. "You are a very amusing creature. Unfortunately... there is nothing to my past." He grinned defiantly. Sesshoumaru knew almost nothing about him; save that he hated his brother and used people to no ends. He knew nothing about Kikyou and his former identity.... "And so you wasted your wish."  
  
This time it was Sesshoumaru who smirked. "Who said anything about your past?"  
  
The kumo fixated a glare that could melt steel at Sesshoumaru. "Then what do you want to know?" He folded his arms, glare melting into a defiant look upon the realization that he could lie if he so chose to and Sesshoumaru wouldn't know the difference.  
  
Sesshoumaru's gaze became more confident as he could smell the difference in Naraku's aura. So, I caught you off guard did I? He tipped his head ever so slightly, "And don't try to lie, Kumo. A dog can smell deceit as easily as it can smell fear," he said, trying to get under Naraku's skin. The kumo glared at him, openly showing his hatred. "And as for what exactly I want to know of you," Sesshoumaru continued, " that is my concern. In time, I will learn what I need of you." He straightened his face. "And then...I will kill you."  
  
Naraku chuckled. "If you are looking for weakness... I have none. You, on the other hand, are full of flaws... namely you can die." Naraku raised one of his hands, as his fingers closed, the poison rushing through Sesshoumaru's veins doubled, making it increasingly hard for him to stand. "So easily...." And then the pain subsided, but only a little.  
  
Sesshoumaru chose this moment to lunge at Naraku, gripping the kumo's throat in his own poisoned claws, letting his venom seep into his body. Inches away, Sesshoumaru looked at his foe's face, which was now beaded with sweat due to the poison. He smirked, "So can you."  
  
"Tsk.... tsk... I expect better from you. After all.... You only have one arm...." One of Naraku's hands clamped down on Sesshoumaru's wrist, the pressure threatening to crush the bone and make it useless. His other hand turned into one of the inhuman branches and wrapped itself around Sesshoumaru's throat, the point threatening to puncture something vital. "Release me if you want to keep your life for the moment. And be assured..." Naraku's grip on Sesshoumaru's wrist tightened, causing the bone to crack a little. And if that wasn't warning enough, the branch like limb wrapped around Sesshoumaru's throat also tightened a little, the tip of the limb was as sharp as a needle's point and Sesshoumaru got to discover that the hard way as it pricked the flesh of his throat. "I won't be as lenient next time"  
  
His eyes never leaving Naraku's, Sesshoumaru slowly drew his hand out of the sickly looking neck and waited for Naraku to do the same.  
  
Naraku pondered letting go for a moment. He grinned. "Just remember... You are in my territory.... I have the advantage here." The branch slowly slid from his neck and returned into a normal arm. Naraku's fingernails dug into Sesshoumaru's wrist, injecting a little more poison, before he released. Soon, the sweat collecting on his face was gone as his body annihilated any traces of venom in his body.  
  
Sesshoumaru stumbled back a few steps as the new rush of fresh poison traveled quickly from his arm to the rest of his infected body, leaving him panting for breath as he watched Naraku heal himself.  
  
"Want it to go away? I can heal you.... Just give me a reason why..." Naraku folded his arms, much enjoying this game of chess, which he was currently winning.  
  
"Because, Naraku.somewhere in that sadistic mind of yours"---he coughed- "you desire me to live, though for what purpose and for how long, I find myself still in the dark."  
  
"Hmmm.... Fair enough." He grinned devilishly, waving his hand. The poison had once again become only a phantom in Sesshoumaru's veins, making him ache to remind him of its presence. "You may stand up now.... Unless you enjoy kneeling before me."  
  
Sesshoumaru shakily got to his feet and waited to see what Naraku had in store for him next.  
  
He smirked. "You still have yet to ask me something specific about me." He wanted this hold of a deal off of him. A demon he was, sadistic and cruel he was also, but alas... he was a man of his word.  
  
Sesshoumaru tilted his head once again and said, "Let's not rush into this. 'Patience is a virtue', Naraku, as you yourself well know." He walked over to the wall and slumped against it, fatigue wearing him down, as he slid into a sitting position. Without the Tensaiga, he would have to resort to a simpler method of rejuvenating himself: sleep. Before falling into the trance-like state, he managed to tell Naraku: "Come back in two days. Perhaps I'll feel like asking you something then." And with that, his conscious was no more among the living, as all bodily functions came to a halt, and his mind no longer took in the outside world as it concentrated on the healing within.  
  
Naraku's violet eyes widened and then narrowed in a vicious glare. He kicked Sesshoumaru's leg quite hard. But there was no reaction. He smirked; realizing how deep of a trance Sesshoumaru was in.... how venerable he was if Naraku decided to change his mind. "Heh.... Heh.... Sleep Sesshoumaru.... Because it's the last peaceful sleep you will have for a long, long time before you rejoin our brother in Hades. And even your death will be agonizing.... And slow.... And it will make me very pleased.... No regrets." He smirked and turned, padding silently to his spot. He sat gracefully, grinning as he contemplated how many different ways there were to kill a demon.  
  
A/N: weeee!!!! Didja like part two?! I hope so! In the next part, the story will begin to unveil its yaoi glory! Check out part three: Mutual Courtesy 


	3. Mutual Courtesy

Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter  
  
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde  
  
Part Three: Mutual Courtesy   
  
On the second day of his slumber, the mental clock inside Sesshoumaru's head went off, and he slowly started up his system again. His lungs filled with air and his heart started pumping cleansed blood back into his system. What a fool Naraku had been to allow him to sleep for this long. Now his body was fully recovered, and the poison had been purged out of his system. He inwardly chuckled. What a foolish mistake Naraku had made, indeed. He opened his eyes and looked around the room to find Naraku in his usual spot by the window.  
  
"Foolish, am I? Then you should note the shackles around your wrist and ankles...." He smirked, his back still to Sesshoumaru. Like he would honestly let an enemy into his lair, unbound and at full strength. That's just silly. He chuckled to himself and rose, turning on his heel and looking at Sesshoumaru with fierce violet eyes. Naraku was well rested now as well, making him twice the tough opponent he was two days before.  
  
Sesshoumaru hmf'ed and stood up, breaking the shackles in one fluid motion. "You deeply misjudge my strength, Naraku." he said as he took one step towards the spider--which he noted was also fully healed.  
  
Naraku only grinned. " Planning to kill me now? Sick of my games?" His taunting voice filled the room. Naraku folded his arms, smirking. "You can try to kill me now if you wish.... Unless you still wanted to know more about me first?"  
  
"Who said I was going to kill you just now?" Sesshoumaru tilted his head. "Really Naraku, you are a most paranoid demon." He smirked and walked past Naraku to the door. "Well, Kumo? Shouldn't you be leading the way?"  
  
Naraku growled, choosing to ignore the "Kumo" part of that sentence. He raised an eyebrow. "Lead you where? Here is a perfectly fine place." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the Inu youkai.  
  
He gave the room a quick, measuring glance-making sure Naraku saw his mild disapproval. "I think we should go to a place more suitable for friendly conversation. I've never found a spider's nest to be a very comfortable place."  
  
"Inu... don't mock me." He sat down in the spot where he was standing, declaring in a childish way he wasn't going to move or leave until he saw fit.  
  
"Inu--? Did you almost call me by that half demon's name?!" Sesshoumaru glared at Naraku through slits. He'd noticed that calling him Kumo didn't bode too well with him, but if he thought he was going to get away with calling him by his former half-brother's name, he could think again.  
  
Naraku chuckled. "I did not almost call you Inuyasha.... I'm just merely addressing you with the same courtesy as you're addressing me. Mutual respect. Have a seat because we're not leaving." He waved his hand so the walls confining Sesshoumaru were unbreakable and the doors would not open. "Having the Shikon Jewel allows me to have some useful little tricks." He snickered and folded his arms, watching Sesshoumaru with emotionless violet eyes  
  
Eventually, Sesshoumaru broke the staring contest, and with a sigh, he sat down a few feet in front of Naraku. "Well, where shall we begin?" He looked into Naraku's eyes, "Let's start with your lineage, shall we; whom were your parents?"  
  
"Don't remember. I killed them when I was old enough to take care of myself." He said nonchalantly. Frankly, he couldn't care less what he'd done in a former life.  
  
"I see... So what did you do to survive as a child? I've heard you were a thief of sorts; is that right?"  
  
"Heh. It's true enough. And your questions are growing quite pointless. If there's something you want to ask, get to the point."  
  
"Patience...Naraku." Sesshoumaru didn't wish to be called 'inu' again, so he figured he might as well refrain from calling Naraku 'kumo'. "So what happened to you that put you in the state you're in? I'm curious to know, as how I never inquired."  
  
"Be more specific, Sesshoumaru. I can't give an answer if I don't understand what's being asked you know." Naraku was enjoying this game. He hadn't had conversation like this since.... well; he'd never had conversation like this ever actually. It was a nice change.  
  
"I'm referring as to how you acquired your collage of a demon body, of course." It felt so odd to be talking to someone for this length of time, let alone talking to Naraku. He waited for an answer.  
  
"My previous form was weak. So, I sacrificed it to demons that consumed my old flesh and gave me this as its replacement. And now I'm stronger. I don't need those pitiful emotions other creatures have to deal with...." 'Not anymore now that Kikyou is dead.' He though bitterly.  
  
"Is there anything else you wish to tell me?" his eyebrow raised slightly.  
  
Naraku smirked. "Nothing that I wish to tell you comes to mind Sesshoumaru. I'll let you know when I have urgent news about something that's already happened." He smirked a big, huge, arrogant smirk.  
  
"Very well..." Sesshoumaru thought of another subject to broach. "So, Naraku, has there been a mate in your previous--or current--life?"  
  
That wiped the smirk right off his face. He forced a nonchalant smile. "Me? Have a mate? That's ridiculous. I could never love anyone." 'Except Kikyou...' He mentally growled at the annoying voice that kept making that cursed woman's name pop into his head. He loved no one.  
  
"So you could never love..." Sesshoumaru smelled the change in him. "But could you lust?"  
  
"No." He forced the smile to stay upon his lips no matter how badly he wanted to glare at Sesshoumaru for even daring to ask questions relating to mates and what not. He was Naraku. He needed no one... loved no one... lusted for no one... anymore. Such a lonely life it was.... he just hadn't realized it yet.  
  
"Come now, Naraku. You must be honest with me; I can smell your deceit already. What do you have to lose that you haven't lost already?" He casually brought up his right hand to tuck his loose hair back behind his pointed ear.  
  
"Kikyou.... I wanted her.... and so did your wretched brother." A low growl escaped from his throat as he fought back snarling. " Now I demand a turn to ask questions from you." he calmed himself... barely. "Since it's only fair...." He smirked.  
  
"I see. Is that all you wish to say on the subject, then?"  
  
"That's all the answers I'll spare you, Sesshoumaru. Now it's my turn. Why do you hate Inuyasha? Its got to be more than family disgrace... what truly made you hate him so much?" If Sesshoumaru was going to stab weak spots, so was Naraku. All's fair...  
  
Sesshoumaru's normally serious face seemed to darken. "Why do you bring that up now? He's dead. He matters not to me; never has." His eyes lost a little of their focus as he recalled events from the past.  
  
"Why bring up my love life? It's just as dead as your brother is. And I answered all of your questions accordingly." Naraku smirked, not afraid in the least bit of the dark look the Inu youkai was giving him. "It's only fair you do the same."  
  
Eyes still not focusing, Sesshoumaru gave in. "Very well. It started the moment that half breed was conceived. My father, Inutaisho, had had a short infatuation with this human woman--who's name I will not utter or hear--and the product of that fateful relationship was that abomination, Inuyasha. I still wonder why father chose to bestow that half breed--and not me--with part of his name. But that is not the reason for my hatred towards my "little brother." The real reason is the fact that he didn't just forget about him. He doted on his human mother and gave him gifts-- all while ignoring my existence. I, Sesshoumaru, his first-born child, was utterly pushed aside to make room for this second half breed child."  
  
Naraku chuckled. "Understandable I suppose. Was there something more? Or is it the child remaining within you refuses to let that bitter hatred go? Because surely, there are better reasons to hate someone."  
  
His eyes regained some of their focus now. "Heh. Yes, I suppose that's not the whole reason I hate him." His line of sight lowered a little towards the floor as he continued, "All the while I was forgotten, I trained in the mountains to become strong enough that my father would acknowledge my strength and perhaps remember that I was his true son. And alas, the day came when my father called upon me, and I was summoned to his castle. He told me that his life was coming to its end and that he wouldn't leave this world without giving his sons a gift to remember him by. He then had me kneel before him and he presented me with a sword--the Tensuaiga. I graciously thanked my father for the sword and wished him the best in the afterlife. It was only soon after that I discovered my sword's powers. I went back to my father to inquire why he would give me such a weapon-- which, in my eyes, is not a weapon at all. But I was too late. He'd already passed the Tetsusaiga unto Inuyasha. It infuriated me to learn that that bastard half breed had received a more powerful weapon than I. And later, I discover that father even chose him to be the guardian of his tomb. I...I think I've hated my father ever since Inuyasha's birth. And I've hated Inuyasha for merely being what he is." He paused. "Does that answer your question?"  
  
Naraku nodded solemnly. "That answer's it." He tried to find an insult to tag on, but, for once, the spider was at a loss for words. So, he merely regarded the inu-youkai. After a long, awkward silence, Naraku spoke. "It's your turn to ask me a question now."  
  
Sesshoumaru hesitated. "Naraku, I am curious. Why is it that you haven't killed me yet? You've threatened to do so endlessly, and even after several opportunities, I am still here." He cocked his head. "Why?"  
  
"Apparently you know nothing about the way I function. Every murder I commit has reason behind it. But there is benefit for me from your death. So, I keep you around for......entertainment I suppose. You and I are almost the same person.... It's hard to come across a person remotely near as corrupt as me. I enjoy that, very much." Naraku fought back a half- smile/ half-smirk as he watched and waited for Sesshoumaru's reaction.  
  
Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed slightly. "How are we so similar? I can think of nothing that we share in common." Putting his right arm on his knee, he rested his head atop a balled fist, perplexed.  
  
Naraku chuckled bitterly. "We share hatred for....the former half breed Inuyasha. We both will go to nearly any lengths to get what we want. We both despised our parents." Naraku inched a little closer to Sesshoumaru, slightly hesitant. "We both have the same look of cruelty in our eyes.... we both do not suffer the burden of human emotions. You and I are very alike.... Down to our poisonous claws." Naraku raised his hand, fingers spread slightly apart as if to show him his claws (which had the light aroma of blood that lingered around them.) "How could you not see the similarities when they are so blatantly laid before us both?"  
  
"Similarities, you say?" Unexpectedly, Sesshoumaru closed the space in between them and took Naraku's chin in his hand. Moving slowly to assure Naraku he meant no harm, Sesshoumaru tilted his head so it was even with his own, and he peered into Naraku's cold, violet eyes, searching.  
  
Naraku looked over the demon's face, placing his hand around Sesshoumaru's wrist. "What are you doing?" It was only slightly a question and more of a demand in spite of his low tone of voice.  
  
"Shhh. Look in my eyes," he whispered, "and be still for a moment. There is something I wish to confirm."  
  
Naraku narrowed his eyes in suspicion but did not pull away. He scanned over the dog demon's thoughts but wasn't able to pick up any clear clue as to the happenings.  
  
Sesshoumaru's cat-like pupils expanded until there was only a thin line of gold iris bordering them. He was very close to Naraku's face at this point, and he could smell the hint of fear emanating from the other demon who did not know what it was he was doing. He finally locked eyes with the spider and suddenly time came to an abrupt halt and all that could be seen by the both of them was darkness. And then Sesshoumaru began the dive into Naraku's mind. He could feel the kumo resisting his intrusion, but he cooed at him until the inner barriers crack a little--just enough for his mind to squeeze through. He dove deeper into the twisted, confusing web that was Naraku's mind until finally he saw it. It was so small--no bigger than a glass shard. Sesshoumaru was looking at Naraku's soul. Satisfied, he ascended back up through the layers of spider web until he was back inside the small, uncomfortable room. His gaze was still fixed on Naraku's as he slowly adjusted his pupils back into the cold, unforgiving eyes of a predator. Slowly, he leaned back onto his haunches and removed his hand from Naraku's face. He wondered what the kumo thought just happened, since the whole time, there was nothing to be seen from the other end.  
  
Naraku shook his head, trying to dispose of the feeling that Sesshoumaru had seen something he shouldn't have. Though he was slightly afraid; no one ever got that close to him of their own free will. And....Sesshoumaru didn't try to kill him in that one moment of venerability. He regarded Sesshoumaru with wide, bewildered eyes. "What.... what did you do?" he asked quietly. The words were hard to form and his body seemed paralyzed with a foreign emotion.  
  
"Well, if you would be so kind as to release my wrist, I'll tell you." Sesshoumaru lifted his arm slightly to get Naraku's attention.  
  
Naraku barely realized he had Sesshoumaru's wrist still. He released it slowly, barely managing to suppress the blush creeping onto his cheeks. He sat back, refolding his legs as he did so. "Now... what did you just do to me?" His composure was once again achieved.  
  
Sesshoumaru merely looked at him. "Do to you? I didn't do anything."  
  
Naraku glared and a low growl was forming in his throat. "You dare lie to me?" His hand clenched into a fist. He wanted information, and he would get it.  
  
"I'm not lying. I didn't actually do anything to you. What's the matter; you don't believe me?"  
  
"Tell me!" Naraku all but roared. Such a reaction to whatever Sesshoumaru had done must never be repeated. "I demand you tell me Inu!"  
  
Sesshoumaru tilted his head, a childish grin playing on his lips. "No."  
  
They say, curiosity killed the cat, well now it was going to drive a spider to kill a dog. Naraku brought back his fist and lunged, punching Sesshoumaru hard across the face. "TELL ME!"  
  
Sesshoumaru sat up from sliding across the floor and gave Naraku the most wicked grin he could muster: "Make me."  
  
"Your wish," Naraku said wickedly, grinning so devilishly it smothered Sesshoumaru's with no problem, "Is my command." He leapt to his feet, leaping as high as the ceiling would allow. He put one of his fists into his hand and began to bring his fists onto Sesshoumaru's skull.  
  
Rolling out of the way of Naraku's fists, Sesshoumaru sent his boa up to meet Naraku as he came crashing down on the spot his head had once occupied. Sesshoumaru thoroughly enjoyed the look of surprise on Naraku's face as his whole body was now being constricted by a soft, billowy wrap that now felt like a vice. Not wasting any time, Sesshoumaru manipulated the boa and threw Naraku against the opposite wall, his boa returning safely to his side. As Naraku was scrambling to free himself of the wall, Sesshoumaru lunged at the youkai, his claws ready to be put to use in Naraku's flesh.  
  
Naraku growled. His eyes flashed dangerously as Sesshoumaru charged. When the inu-youkai was too close for comfort, (which took a mere three seconds), Naraku vanished completely from sight, reappearing behind Sesshoumaru. He grabbed onto the youkai's hair. "Too slow," He hissed before hurling Sesshoumaru into a brick solid wall. A few silvery strands of the Inu's hair remained in Naraku's claws.  
  
Sesshoumaru was upside down, and after a couple seconds, hit the floor with a sounding 'thud.' He managed to stand up straight again and rubbed his head where some of his hair had been yanked out. He looked up at Naraku through slits as he laced his next words with venom: "You're gonna pay for that." And with that, he drew out his glowing energy whip and proceeded to slash at the spider's new barrier he'd put up until he could get closer.  
  
Naraku grinned as Sesshoumaru approached the distance of 5 feet away from him. He seemed to disappear from sight all together and the reappear holding Sesshoumaru's wrist above his head as he tackled him to the ground. He held the inu-youkai's wrist firmly in place and put the palm of his hand on Sesshoumaru's throat, threatening to crush his windpipe from all the pressure. "Tell me...."  
  
There was a rumbling deep inside the inu youkai's chest that slowly made its way to his throat and then burst out his mouth before Sesshoumaru even realized what was happening. It was only after he heard the sound of a male's low tenor voice echo off the walls that he finally recognized the sound of his own laughter. Even though this was not the time, nor place, to be laughing-and with Naraku's hand firmly pressed over his windpipe- Sesshoumaru couldn't help himself as he continued to fill the room with his pleasant-sounding laughter.  
  
Naraku was expecting a glare, an attempt to be thrown from the inu.... or something like that! His violet eyes widened in bewilderment. He sat back, straddling Sesshoumaru's torso, still managing to keep him pinned. "What in the hell are you laughing at?!" He roared.  
  
Trying to answer him in between spurts of laughter, Sesshoumaru managed, "You.. me.. this whole thing!" The laughter died down to a chuckle as he admitted: "I haven't had this kind of fun...well, ever." He grunted as he sat up, causing the bewildered Naraku to slid onto his stomach. "Heh, heh. Alright, I'll tell you."  
  
Naraku's mind was racing a billion miles a second. He hadn't even noticed his grip had relaxed on the youkai's limbs. 'Why hasn't he shoved me off? Is this a trick? What's going on?!'  
  
"FUN?!" He shouted. "YOU THINK THIS IS FUN!?"  
  
"Hahahaha...Yes, very much so," he blinked and tilted his head, "Don't you find this whole situation amusing?"  
  
Naraku blinked in more than mild confusion. He shook his head, placing a hand to his forehead. 'It's the poison....' he told himself over and over again until he regained his composure. "No..." he said in a low voice. "Tell me what I asked to know."  
  
"Heh, very well, Naraku; I will tell you what I did," he took a breath and straightened his face. "You mentioned earlier that you and I were very similar. I'd wanted more proof of that than our possession of poison claws, so I looked into your mind and found another thing we have in common: a soul." He studied Naraku's features. "Are you angry at me now for having seen something so personal to you?"  
  
Naraku opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He didn't know how to react to someone telling him he had a soul when so many, MANY others insisted that he didn't. And suddenly the awkwardness of their position slapped him hard across the face and he quickly moved off of Sesshoumaru and stood, glaring down at him.  
  
With a small grunt, Sesshoumaru got up off the floor and stood an arm's length away from Naraku-who seemed not to know what to say at the moment. After a minute of awkward silence, he walked up to him and looked him in the eye, "Did you honestly not know that you had a soul?" his eyes searching the other youkai's face for an answer. The kumo's face seemed darkened with thoughts of denial as he still did not answer him. Hesitantly, Sesshoumaru placed a hand on his shoulder to bring him back to reality, "Naraku?"  
  
Naraku glanced down at the floor and then to Sesshoumaru uneasily. He put his hand over Sesshoumaru's, hesitating before gripping it and removing it. He looked away, face darkened. "A monster like me cannot possess a soul. It defies all laws of nature," he said so quietly, he doubted Sesshoumaru could even hear it.  
  
But he did hear it. Sesshoumaru raised his rejected hand up to his hair and swept it back over his shoulder. "Feh. That's what I'd told myself for the longest time; that a murderous demon, such as me, who killed his father and tried to do the same to his half brother for something as worldly as a sword, couldn't possibly have a soul." Naraku looked up at him, questioningly. Sesshoumaru glanced back at him as he clarified what he'd just said, "Yes, I was the one who killed my father...I guess I failed to mention that in our little conversation earlier; I suppose I just didn't think you needed to know." He smirked at the other demon, but his eyes betrayed his face as he quickly turned around and walked over to Naraku's favorite spot by the window.  
  
That same unknown emotion tugged at the dark rift where a heart once belonged. A hand went to his chest in a feeble attempt to subdue it. What he felt was... sorrow? Regret?...compassion? "Impossible..." He whispered to himself. Violet eyes darted to Sesshoumaru and narrowed. 'Unfeeling people are not supposed to do this to each other.' He growled subconsciously. "Where are you going?"  
  
Sesshoumaru sighed and sat down on the windowsill. "Nowhere." He gazed out at the starless sky. 'What is going on?!' his primal voice yelled at him. 'Why are you being so...so nice to another being?! You should be ripping the throat out that baboon, not comforting him!  
  
Naraku didn't trust his answers, so he scanned Sesshoumaru's thoughts.... He was torn between growling and smiling. So instead, he did neither and strode over to his spot, seemingly ignoring Sesshoumaru as he sat. But in all truth, he was monitoring his thoughts nonstop.  
  
Sesshoumaru watched Naraku sit opposite of him at the window out of the corner of his eye. He didn't know what to do about these strange, human- like emotions he was feeling; they felt so foreign to a demon such as himself, like an intruder that didn't belong. He glanced up to spot Naraku looking his way--and quickly turn away. 'I wonder what he's thinking...if he's feeling these strange things as I am.' 'Gah, there I go again!' Inwardly frustrated with himself, Sesshoumaru made an odd noise in the back of his throat and dipped his head to rest on his propped up knee. Why wouldn't these 'feelings' just go away! They simply did not suit a murderous demon like him. If he could just-  
  
"Sesshoumaru...." Naraku's eyes showed no emotion but his voice did. "You're not alone....." That was all he said; all the reassurance he could offer without loosing his dignity and acting like a human woman. But surely, it was enough. Naraku slowly looked away, still monitoring the inu's erratic thoughts.  
  
His mind now silent, Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and looked up at Naraku, who was looking away off to the distant mountains. "What?"  
  
The edges of Naraku's lips twitched, as if he were going to smile. But the demon side, which prevailed over most of his judgments, crushed the smile into nothing. And so, Sesshoumaru's question remained unanswered as he stared off into space.  
  
Not liking being ignored, Sesshoumaru thought of something that would get Naraku's attention.and maybe make up for his mind-prodding earlier. He sat up straight and once more cocked his head in that way of his to one side. "Hey, kumo," he said mildly just to get his attention.  
  
Naraku looked at him. "What, Sesshoumaru?" An eyebrow raised at the sudden speech that had no pretense.  
  
He opened his mouth and closed it again, not quite sure if he really wanted to go through with it. He looked away and then back at Naraku before continuing: "Would you.care to see my soul?" There was no backing out of it now. He then hurriedly added, "Just so we're on an even level with each other." He nervously glanced away and waited for an answer he didn't expect to get.  
  
Naraku narrowed his eyes in slight suspicion. No one willingly opened up to him. After a long silence, in which Naraku's violet eyes never left Sesshoumaru's face, he finally gave a response. "Yes...." He was more than mildly curious. "Just to be on level with each other."  
  
Sesshoumaru whipped his head back around to face Naraku. He hadn't expected for him to say yes; he hadn't really expected him to answer at all. He finally looked up into Naraku's eyes and saw not a mocking glare, but a gaze that resembled curiosity. Wanting to confirm the sincerity of Naraku's answer, Sesshoumaru asked, "Are you sure?"  
  
Naraku gave his oh so characteristic smirk. "Of course I'm sure. Its ridiculous that you should even have to ask." He repositioned himself so he was closer and leaned forward a bit more. He locked eyes with the youkai before he had a chance to look away again. "Show me... "  
  
A/N: ooooOOOOOooooo.. So how did ya like part three??!!! And for all you fellow yaoi fans out there, just wait 'til you read part four!!!! 


	4. Soul Searching

Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter  
  
  
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde  
  
  
Part Four: Soul Searching  
  
Hesitantly, Sesshoumaru sat up and leaned forward as well, as Naraku firmly held his eyes captive. "I must first show you how it's done; because as you well know, the person being looked into cannot see what is happening." Sesshoumaru raised his right hand and placed it close to Naraku's face but not touching. Their eyes were still locked as they viewed each other through Sesshoumaru's outspread fingers. "Now...I want you to focus on my eyes as you saw me do; widen your pupils so there is nothing that escapes your line of vision." He waited.  
  
Naraku raised an eyebrow in curiosity and did as Sesshoumaru said. His virtually nonexistent pupils grew dilated until a small rim of violet purple was left around the outside of the black voids that his pupils had become.  
  
"Good." Sesshoumaru took a deep breath to relax; he couldn't believe he was teaching someone how to peer inside his soul! 'This is dangerous,' his conscience was yelling at him, 'he will surely turn on you the second he is past your barriers and the mighty Sesshoumaru-sama will be no more!' He mentally shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Now, I'm going to begin to look into your mind again, but only until I reach your inner barriers, alright?"  
  
Naraku nodded slightly. 'Heh.... And here I thought he trusted me.' A wicked grin spread across his face but was quickly suppressed as Sesshoumaru continued. 'He... does trust me... even if it is only a little....' If they could have widened anymore, his eyes surely would have.  
  
As Sesshoumaru's own eyes dilated until they matched those of Naraku's, the hand in front of the Kumo's face became translucent, and as Sesshoumaru made the mental dive into the other youkai's mind, a type of blurry image appeared inside the hand and Naraku realized he was seeing the inside of his own mind! "Shhh," Sesshoumaru reminded him. Naraku watched in wonder as tiny bits of his memories and pieces of himself floated past his line of sight until suddenly it stopped. "This...is the wall that surrounds your soul, Naraku." He let his words sink in and then continued, "I will not intrude on you again, but I've shown you the proper way of traveling through another's mind without damaging or changing anything." Suddenly, Naraku saw everything as if in rewind, and after a few long seconds, he was once again looking through Sesshoumaru's upturned fingers. Sesshoumaru drew back his hand from Naraku's face. "Give me your right hand."  
  
Naraku was still in a mild state of shock. 'How could he bring up memories..... I tried so hard to forget....' Once Sesshoumaru's words clicked somewhere in Naraku's mind, he did as was instructed, holding out his right hand.  
  
Sesshoumaru took Naraku's hand and turned it to where the palm was facing him, and the fingers were upturned. He then made a fist, using his claws to cut into his skin, and as the dark blood welled up inside the wound, he smeared it on Naraku's palm and then placed his own hand behind Naraku's.  
  
Naraku's body stiffened as the thick smell of Sesshoumaru's blood filled his senses. The words from their battle echoed in his mind. 'Your blood tastes so much sweeter from your lips, Sesshoumaru.' It took a great deal of self control not to react as the blood was so generously smeared across his palm. His tongue, as if control by something else, darted across his own lips. "What are you doing...?" His voice was a little different in tone and Naraku silently hoped Sesshoumaru wouldn't note the change.  
  
Sesshoumaru had felt him tense, but he'd dismissed it as he finished the process by lacing his fingers over Naraku's upturned ones. Now, he glanced up at Naraku's question. "Hm?" He looked back down at their now joined hands that were smeared with his own blood. "This is so I will be able to see what you see. I do not think I have enough patience to teach you the Mirror Hand technique, so I am merely improvising." He studied him. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
Naraku had to layer on the self control. "No..." He said in an acidic tone to cover up the wavering tone his voice might have assumed if he had spoken any more than that single word. "Proceed."  
  
"Very well." He once again locked gazes with Naraku, "Now...try to look into my mind. If you can get as far as my inner barriers, I will lead you down the rest of the way--it is not so easy to tread past another's barriers if they know what's being done." He took a deep breath, "Now go."  
  
Once again, upon the inu-youkai's command, the kumo obeyed. At first nothing came, but Naraku knew mostly what he was doing. Then the room faded as Naraku's mind crossed the imaginary border of Sesshoumaru's and now, all was dark. He waded through the black depths, past shallow wispy thoughts and on into the deeper part of Sesshoumaru's mind. Recent memories flashed by. He saw himself leaning over Sesshoumaru, blood on the inu's lips. He paused, not being able to resist passing up the opportunity to watch that scene once more from a third person view. The words before the kiss didn't matter. The kumo watched tentatively as he pressed both their lips together. 'And yet, I find your blood tastes so much sweeter from your lips, Sesshoumaru.'..  
  
As Sesshoumaru watched the images being projected onto the blood on Naraku's hand, he couldn't help but watch as once again Naraku stood above him, uttering crude remarks, and then kissing the blood off his lips with unmasked satisfaction. Not wanting to re-live anything else after that incident, Sesshoumaru promptly put out the candle that lit up his memory banks, hoping Naraku could find the way to his inner barrier on his own.  
  
And then the memory blinked out-due to Sesshoumaru's intervention, leaving Naraku in almost complete darkness. He wandered deeper and deeper until he found the small flicker of childhood memories drifting by like dark phantoms. He paused and then he tried to move forward, but from no where, a huge wall appeared. It gleamed in the dark, as if declaring its presence had existed the whole time during Naraku's expeditions. 'Nothing was there a moment ago.' Naraku growled to himself, trying to push against the wall,(figuring it was merely an imposing hallucination), but it was as hard as stone and seemingly quite immovable. He'd reached the inner barrier. Now, Sesshoumaru had to guide him.  
  
When the vision on the hand became clear Naraku had come to his inner barrier, Sesshoumaru was already on his way to greet the Kumo and show him through the "door." His 'self'-which was a double of his physical body- suddenly appeared beside the waiting Naraku.  
  
Glad you made it.  
  
Could have spared me a little more light...' He didn't finish that thought for good reasons.  
  
Sesshoumaru almost made an apology, but dismissed the thought at remembering the reason for it. "Follow me." He made to turn, holding out his hand.  
  
Naraku blinked and forced a glare. "Must I?" There was nothing holding him back. No one save for Sesshoumaru would see. The only thing that forced the words out of his mouth was fear. 'Fear of what?!' Naraku thought furiously at himself and grasped Sesshoumaru's hand in his before the inu could answer or even inhale.  
  
"I don't want to take any chances...the inner demon in my mind might lash out at you if I don't guide you through....that's all." He proceeded to the doors that guarded his soul--they slowly opened upon recognizing him. He walked past them and they quickly shut, keeping something from coming in, or to keep something from getting out.  
  
Naraku inwardly grinned with smug satisfaction at smothering that annoying conscience that had been plaguing him for so long. Once again, as they began walking, the wall was gone as if it had never existed. A heavy, awkward silence greeted them as they pressed on for what seemed like ages. By this time, the kumo's hand had lost all tension and was merely resting in Sesshoumaru's. But Naraku paused as he saw a pair of glowing red eyes in the dark flicker open and shut and then do the same once more. "A demon awakening from its sleep." He said in a low voice. At his words, the red eyes opened completely, blue pupils gleamed in pools of crimson. "Trouble," Naraku breathed, ready to attack but unsure if he should. His body went numb under the eyes' intense stare and as the other youkai still continued forward, his hand slowly slipped out of Sesshoumaru's.  
  
Sesshoumaru turned around at the absence of Naraku's hand in his. "Naraku, what are--?" Then he saw it. A flash of red eyes and white fur leapt out of the shadows for the Kumo. "Get down!!!" he pushed the other youkai out of the way and stood in his demon's path. The impact of the dog demon knocked the wind out of him and he was unable to stop it as it went for Naraku. "No!!!"  
  
Naraku growled, quickly picking himself off the ground only to hear the pounding footsteps of a large demon racing his way. The bitter smell of acid filled his senses. He could barely brace himself for the attack as two huge white paws came crashing down on him, pinning him and burying him into the nonexistent ground, crushing his bones. He could hear the sizzle of acidic saliva hitting somewhere near his head. He heard the demon snarl, felt the heat of the dog's breath as its jaws moved in for the kill. "No!" Naraku shouted, expecting nothing more than to die in Sesshoumaru's mind by the jaws of the inu's inner demon. The kumo shut his eyes tightly as a blinding flash of light negated his vision for a moment. An ear splitting yelp and then a howl of pain filled the area and then died and the monstrous dog demon collapsed entirely upon the kumo, making his already troubled breathing worse as he tried to worm his way out from under its crushing weight. He rose on shaky legs, chest rising and falling heavily. He blinked a few times, barely able to make out the form nearby. "Sesshoumaru..?"  
  
He stood there in shock; the dark blood of the inu dripping from his blood- stained claws. "What." he took two faltering steps backwards, "What have I done." He staggered and then fell to his knees, staring in disbelief at the slain demon.  
  
Naraku rubbed his eyes, blinking and finally regaining a decent amount of eyesight back; though, part of him wished he hadn't upon seeing the agonized face of Sesshoumaru. He traveled the distance between them, faltering every other step. But now he couldn't turn back as he crouched next to Sesshoumaru, placing a shaky hand on his shoulder. "I... I think it's best.... if we save viewing your soul..... For another occasion." His grip tightened reassuringly. "Thank you." he whispered under his breath to the stunned inu youkai.  
  
He blinked, barely hearing Naraku's words as if they were far away. Not able to form the words, he slightly nodded. As the other youkai helped him to his feet, he felt an instinctual urge to stay behind. But, remembering Naraku was with him, he knew somewhere that they must return to the outside world. Still staring in that unseeing way, Sesshoumaru concentrated on leaving his darkened mind and returning to where their bodies still waited. He felt himself being pulled away, through the layers of his mind until he reached the surface. Upon reaching it, however, he suddenly froze and blacked out.  
  
Naraku found the darkness rushing by, making the hours and days of wandering seem useless. When he came to, he blinked in confusion as he saw Sesshoumaru begin to fall backwards. Without thinking, Naraku's hand shot out and gently wrapped itself around his neck and pulled the inu forward. Now, Sesshoumaru's body (still in a sitting position) was leaning against Naraku's. He blinked, trying to convince himself he didn't just do that and isn't savoring the feel of someone else that close. He swallowed hard and spent around five to ten minutes position Sesshoumaru until finally, the inu's head rested in his lap. 'What am I doing?' he thought, 'He'll kill me when he wakes; probably assume I took advantage of him.' He frowned and decided. "So be it."  
  
A/N: ok ok!! I know I promised yaoi goodness in this part, but gimme some slack, ppl!! My other partner is sick with strep throat and I'm tired! So this part is a little short-and lacking in the yaoi. But I SWEAR there will actually be *physical* yaoiness in the next part! Cheers~ 


	5. Demons' Passion

Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter  
  
  
  
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde  
  
  
  
Part Five: Demons' Passion  
  
Gradually, Sesshoumaru could feel the weight of his body as his mind tentatively restored the link with body and soul. He slowly opened his eyes. The room still held its usual gloomy twilight. He moaned and brought his hand up to his forehead; he could feel a migraine coming on.  
  
Naraku had drifted off into a light trance like sleep. The sudden stirring brought him to. Naraku looked down at Sesshoumaru. "It's about time you woke." Generally, his voice would have been sharp and menacing. But this in this case, it wasn't.  
  
Startled at the closeness the voice had come from, Sesshoumaru moved his hand down away from his face and was suddenly looking into Naraku's deep amethyst eyes. Although finding himself being cradled in Naraku's lap what a bit unnerving at first, what intrigued Sesshoumaru even more was that the youkai's eyes no longer held the cold, uncaring hatred they once had, (even the voice had not held its usual bitterness). Not knowing how long he would be able to look into those deep orbs, Sesshoumaru tried to sit up and face the kumo properly, and he somewhat succeeded-with Naraku's help-and he was soon once again leaning against the wall, regarding the youkai with mild suspicion. Not knowing how well his voice worked, he managed to fumble out the words, "H-How long."  
  
"Not very." Naraku looked him over to make sure he was ok before boring a hole in the floor with an icy glare. He had to at least look a little scary to hide the strange happenings going on inside. "Since I don't think you heard me back in your mind...." he looked in the completely opposite direction of Sesshoumaru, "Thank you for saving me." This was most certainly not the Naraku he knew himself to be. This wasn't anyone he knew! (Which meant he would just have to find out who he had become). One last thing tugged on his mind. "I just... don't understand, why?" Naraku kept his head bowed so the soft puzzled expression of his face couldn't be seen.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes slightly hazed over as he remembered what had happened. "I..I don't know why, but...," he looked down at his hand resting in his lap, "..I didn't want you to die..." Now the kumo looked at him, "...even.."-he took a breath-"..even if it meant killing my demon side," he finished. The impact of what he'd done was now being slowly absorbed by his brain. 'What...have I done?' he asked himself again.  
  
For the first time in Naraku's entire life, he bit his lip nervously. 'He didn't want me to die.... he sacrificed a part of him for... me.' Naraku, remembering to breathe, put a hand on his chest to suppress the phantom ache.  
  
"I feel...hollow inside," he continued, "like, there's only half of me left." He blinked, coming to the realization: "I..can no longer...transform into my demon self..." He looked down on his human-like body, "This is...how I will be..from now on." Sesshoumaru finally looked up at Naraku, though it seemed he was staring past him, "What shall I do now? I'm not a true inu demon anymore!" He looked down, adding quietly, "There is nothing left for me anymore; there is no one.I am nothing now."  
  
Naraku's eyes widened and he clenched a fist. "Nothing... You think you're... nothing?!" Naraku didn't realize what he had done until he felt the sting in his hand and saw the imprint on Sesshoumaru's face. He bit his lip, now fully facing Sesshoumaru. "You aren't nothing." he said softly, not believing he was saying these heartfelt words. "You are so, so much more than nothing!" He gave Sesshoumaru a significant look. "And last time that I checked, inu, I'm still here." He fought back a smile by glaring. What was he saying? Naraku himself didn't know.  
  
Sesshoumaru sat there, staring at the kumo with wide eyes. 'Does Naraku actually...care about me?' He couldn't fathom the idea that someone would have feelings toward him other than hatred.  
  
Naraku, naturally curious as to what thoughts his speech had induced, scanned Sesshoumaru's thoughts. "Yes... Sesshoumaru. I do... actually.." He looked away, taking in a huge breathe. "I do care." He nervously looked back up at Sesshoumaru, waiting for a response.  
  
The stunned expression on the inu youkai's face slowly thawed. 'Do you?', he thought, knowing Naraku could read his mind. But before the kumo could answer, Sesshoumaru had used his demonic speed, and was now inches away from the youkai's face. 'Then show me.' And with that, he brought his hand up to rest on the back of Naraku's neck and pulled him into a kiss. It lasted several seconds before Sesshoumaru, sensing an objection from the youkai, finally pulled away, his eyes intensely regarding the kumo.  
  
Naraku blinked, fingertips resting on his lips for a moment. 'Did that... just happen?' There was warmth upon his lips, rushing through his entire body. He felt... alive! He grinned wickedly. "Your wish is my command, Sesshoumaru." He brushed a few loose strands of silver hair from the inu's face before pulling him into a rough kiss.  
  
As Naraku's kiss became more intense than his own, Sesshoumaru raked his fingers through the kumo's hair. However, while all this was going on, a small part of him despised the loss of his left arm; since he was doing all that he could with just his one. But he continued the kiss, and tried to ease his thoughts, and moved even closer to Naraku-if it was possible.  
  
Naraku sighed happily as Sesshoumaru's fingertips raced over his scalp. He was drowning in this unrequited attention. But a spark of discomfort coming from Sesshoumaru dragged him out of the dreamy bliss. "Let me..." His hand went to the shoulder of Sesshoumaru's missing arm. "Help you..." he whispered once more against the inu's lips. His hand went underneath his collar, pushing the cloth down, exposing skin. He smiled sadly upon finding his targeted area. "With that..."  
  
Humiliation shone in Sesshoumaru's eyes as he looked down at his severed arm. He tried to squirm out of Naraku's gentle but firm hold on him, but he soon realized it was no use, and he looked back to Naraku questioningly.  
  
Naraku grinned and leaned forward on Sesshoumaru, pushing him back to the floor since they had moved from the wall. He leaned so close, his lips brushed against the inu's as he spoke. "It will burn..." he warned softly before recapturing those tempting lips for his own once more. Naraku's hand closed around the stumped flesh, glowing as it did. He could feel the wince of pain from Sesshoumaru. Naraku's free hand pressed down onto the inu's other shoulder, burying itself in the soft boa, pinning him down with muffled force.  
  
Sesshoumaru felt divided; as one part of him-namely his left arm-felt like it was on fire and wanted Naraku to stop, while the other part of him melted under the kumo's touch and wished he would never stop. As the pain in his left arm grew to intolerable level, however, Sesshoumaru momentarily broke the kiss as he sucked in air through his teeth. "Naraku...please," he panted, "I can't take it much longer.."  
  
He studied the inu's face, eyes shut so tight in unbearable pain that it looked as if they might never open. Tears stained that fair face of his. 'He's crying....' Naraku thought bitterly. He pressed his left cheek to Sesshoumaru's damp right cheek and whispered, "I don't... wish to hurt you.... But you're beautiful when you cry." He grinned, kissing along Sesshoumaru's jaw line, then to his throat, pausing to bite and nip here and there. Naraku's fingers laced between Sesshoumaru's. The act was done.  
  
The inu youkai's eyes slowly opened. They widened even more as he suddenly recognized something he hadn't felt in ages: sensation in his left arm. He turned his head in disbelief as he slowly raised the new arm to where he could see it better. He turned it in all possible angles, admiring its perfection. Then, remembering why he even had it to begin with, he turned and looked at Naraku, who was gazing down at him with a grin upon his face. To stifle the laughter that was beginning to escape his mouth, Sesshoumaru quickly reached up with his left hand and pulled Naraku down on him-using the kumo's plentiful locks of auburn hair to muffle his joy. "Thank you..." he whispered in his ear before he pressed his mouth to Naraku's once again.  
  
Naraku suppressed his smile with a playful growl. His fingernails scraped gently over the inu's regained arm, threatening and teasing him with danger all at once. "Prove your thanks." He whispered against the inu's lips, looking up into his eyes. He smiled devilishly.  
  
Sesshoumaru grinned, his pleasure openly showing on his face. Then, mischief glittered in his eyes as he brought his arms up on either side of Naraku's ribs. Using his razor sharp nails, he pierced through the kumo's garments and, with agonizing slowness, he cut the material until it was barely hanging on Naraku's shoulders.  
  
Naraku leaned close to Sesshoumaru's ear. "If you want to keep your boa intact.... I suggest you speed up the process." he growled playfully, nipping at his ear. He planted small, wanton kisses in a trail back to the youkai's lips.  
  
Sensing the sincerity in the kumo's threat, Sesshoumaru brought his claws over the major hems of the outfit and the shredded material fell in misshapen pieces around Naraku's arms. "Is this better?" he crooned, not really referring to the torn clothes as he leaned up and kissed Naraku hungrily, using his nails to send chills up the kumo's spine as he lightly raked them over his back and into his hair once again.  
  
So soon, so suddenly this had happened.... and so eagerly did he respond, desire burning in each of his kisses and caresses. He settled himself against Sesshoumaru's body only to find a jagged piece of Sesshoumaru's broken armor threatening to puncture his skin. He winced, pulling off the remainders of the armor, never breaking the last kiss he placed on Sesshoumaru's lips.  
  
Wanting to get rid of any more distractions, the inu youkai pulled at his bloody sash and outer kimono until only his undergarment remained. His mouth still locked with Naraku's, Sesshoumaru moaned and pressed himself to the other youkai's lean body. Still not enough, he deepened the kiss and slid his tongue past his fangs and into Naraku's mouth.  
  
Finally, the feeling he'd craved for ages-years-was now his. And how he savored the feeling of warmth flesh on flesh provided. But it wasn't enough... his body hungered for more. He sucked on Sesshoumaru's tongue with wanton abandon before thrusting his on tongue into Sesshoumaru's mouth in rebellion. His fingertips traced over the youkai's throat as light as a ghost's touch, trying to send chills down his spine.  
  
Sesshoumaru's nerve endings were going berserk as Naraku indulged his craving for more pleasure with one act after another. As the two demons continued their dangerous game of give and take, Sesshoumaru could feel something deep inside of him building up. It did not go away. Even after there was nothing that separated their bodies anymore, he could still feel something pulling him, driving him, until he couldn't think about anything else.  
  
Naraku wanted more... he thought the kisses, the caresses would be enough. But he wanted, craved something more. The desperation filled his chest and flooded his senses. "More..." he whispered against Sesshoumaru's lips before claiming them in that desperate passion.  
  
'Your wish is my command,' he thought at him as he sat up, pulling Naraku up with him as they continued their passionate kissing. Running his fingers through the kumo's disheveled hair again, he then encircled one hand behind the youkai's head and used his other arm to brace himself as he leaned into Naraku, forcing him down on the matted floor. "This time..." he breathed, "..you're mine."  
  
Naraku winced more from surprise than from any minor pain Sesshoumaru had inflicted forcing him on the floor. His eyes widened as the heated words cut through the passion, reaching his mind. His mind was thick with fog but he understood. "Then take me..." he whispered, that wicked grin threatening to appear once more.  
  
The inu youkai smiled. The need in him was almost unbearable as it pitted itself in his groin. He bent his head, giving Naraku another heated kiss, accidentally cutting the kumo's lip with his sharp fangs. Smelling the other youkai's blood was tantalizing as he placed his mouth over the wound and tasted the kumo's exotic blood. And as the combination of their previous acts and his burning desire stacked on top of each other, the need between his legs surmounted to where he couldn't take it anymore. Lacing his fingers with Naraku's as he positioned himself over the youkai's body, he whispered in his ear: "Fire." he slid his forehead across his partner's before he continued in the other ear, "fire in my nightmares and fire within me..." he moved to Naraku's lips, "But it will listen.." And as he kissed the kumo passionately with his mouth, his body folded to Naraku's frame. The kumo moaned with pleasure as he moved inside him, and as he finally exploded and filled the demon with more than a part of himself, his mind reached out to embrace his lover.and he finally knew what it felt like to love someone. When it was over, it seemed like it had lasted forever, but at the same time, it felt as if it had ended too soon. Mildly exhausted and dazed, Sesshoumaru collapsed on top of Naraku, panting for breath. He closed his eyes, savoring the moment.  
  
Naraku's grip on Sesshoumaru's still intertwined hand increased as the inu fell against him. His breath was heavy and Sesshoumaru's scent filled him entirely. The ache in his chest rose once more. What was this phantom emotion? But he knew... He remembered the words Sesshoumaru had spoken, how long ago? Time no longer mattered. Naraku's free hand roamed slowly through the silvery silken hair. Slowly, as the fires of passion well up inside him, this wasn't over. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes only to see the kumo's wicked grin. He rolled them over and pressed their foreheads together, his body aching. "And it will never disobey me again..." He whispered to finish the Inu's sentence from earlier as they melded together once more. Naraku delved into Sesshoumaru's mouth with his tongue, rubbing it against the inu's fangs, causing him to bleed into Sesshoumaru's mouth. He doubted there'd be any protests during his act of showing what he now knew as... love.  
  
Sesshoumaru was caught off guard as he once again tasted Naraku's blood as it filled his mouth and his senses. 'It's so rich.' He thought of all the demons that it must have taken to make blood taste that sweet. 'What's one more?' he thought, and then cut his own tongue on his fangs, letting their blood mingle and intertwine as did their tongues already.  
  
That taste... though it was only a little amongst so much of his own, was utterly recognizable. 'Your blood tastes so much sweeter from your lips, Sesshoumaru...' the words echoed as they resurfaced in his mind. Then curiosity struck.... did it taste sweeter from his lips? Naraku dragged his claws lightly over Sesshoumaru's chest. He broke the kiss only to trail more down his throat. He kissed the hallow of his throat. The scent of blood urged him on and so, he dragged his tongue slowly across the blood designs he had made along Sesshoumaru's chest.  
  
The inu let his head fall back as the feel of Naraku's nails and tongue across his chest made him feel giddy. No one could put a chill through his body quite like Naraku could. Meanwhile, the cut on his tongue was still leaking blood and when it filled his mouth, he stretched his head back up and used a finger to tip the kumo's head in his direction. He closed his mouth over Naraku's, letting his blood fill the other youkai's as he gripped a fistful of the auburn hair in his left hand.  
  
That bittersweet taste of blood made it quite hard for him to concentrate. He pulled away, leaning close to Sesshoumaru's ear. "I was right.... Your blood is so much sweeter from your lips, Sesshoumaru...." He smiled, purring softly into Sesshoumaru's ear. He fiercely reclaimed the inu's lips before his energy was completely spent and he leaned against Sesshoumaru's warm body.  
  
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and let out a contented sigh as he reached up and began stroking the kumo's tangled mess of auburn hair. He was utterly spent--and yet he couldn't remember when he'd felt any happier. Glancing down at the resting figure on his chest, he wondered if Naraku felt the same as he did.  
  
Fatigue gripped at his chest, seducing him with its wiles. He reached p and stroked Sesshoumaru's face, smiling sleepily. He let his hands tangle in the silvery mass. He was warm... and content. He nuzzled against Sesshoumaru's chest, his scent making him feel safe from the insecurities that always stole away his sleep. He heard Sesshoumaru begin to speak and forced himself to stay awake to hear what he was saying.  
  
"Naraku."  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"I've found... a purpose to live....Would you like to know what it is, Kumo?"  
  
Naraku squirmed a little and drifted off to sleep, the question lost amongst his slumber.  
  
Sesshoumaru, feeling the change in the form that lay on top of him, smiled ruefully and whispered into the dark the answer to his question: "You."  
  
A/N: *bows* Thank you! Thank you! I love you all! Please drop some  
money in the little collection box on your way out. Yes, thanks.  
  
(Don't even ask about part six..we're both beat. But we'll prolly be  
workin' on it tomorrow-cuz we luv u guys) ^_~ 


	6. Torn

Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter  
  
  
  
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde  
  
  
  
Part Six: Torn  
  
Sesshoumaru's peaceful slumber was abruptly put to an end as Naraku's blood- curdling scream broke through the silence--and his ears. His eyes shot open and he tried to sit up, but found that the kumo was still lying on top of him. Sesshoumaru studied him, 'Is he...dreaming?' Naraku winced and rolled off of him onto the floor beside him as if he was trying to get away from some unseen enemy. Sesshoumaru didn't know what to do; he'd never had to deal with someone who was having a nightmare, and he himself didn't dream--a true demon isn't capable of such a thing. Which also made him wonder why Naraku was experiencing one. The kumo screamed again as if in pain and fear, and this time Sesshoumaru sat up and reached over towards him.  
  
"Nooo...Don't touch me!"  
  
At first he thought Naraku was awake and was talking to him, but has the kumo turned over, Sesshoumaru saw that he was still dreaming. He pulled Naraku in his arms and held him. The kumo instantly began to writhe in his grasp; still trying to escape whatever it was that plagued him. Not knowing what else he could do, Sesshoumaru only tightened his hold around him, hoping he would wake up soon.  
  
He'd thought he'd escaped.... The monster had let him go but was only toying with him. Once more, a monstrous hand closed over Naraku's trembling form. He thrashed violently. "Let me go!" But his cries only urged the monster to grip tighter, stealing his energy and life from him with each passing second. The monster's smug laughter filled the darkness.... Naraku couldn't beat him... of all the enemies.... "Prepare to die" The grip tightened even more as he thrashed to save his own life and then.... he opened his eyes. His chest heavily rose and fell as a quick pace as if he'd been running. His forehead was slick with cold sweat and his disheveled hair marred his view. "Where... am I? What... what happened?" He felt so much weaker, as if the monster had in fact stolen his power. A familiar scent reached his nose. "Sesshou...maru?" He looked up slightly, a gentle hand brushed the hair from his face.  
  
Sesshoumaru lowered his head to where he could see Naraku's face. It was coated with sweat, and the amethyst eyes that looked up at him were glazed and wide with recent terror as they stared at him unblinking. "I'm here, Naraku." He unfurled one of his hands and pressed it to the kumo's forehead, "You're skin is like ice; are you alright?" He was genuinely worried. "What happened?"  
  
He took in a few shuddering breaths, slowly letting the cold air of dawn seep into his lungs to drag him back to reality. "Nothing..." he said coolly. "It was... only a dream..." He closed his eyes, just breathing.... He put his hand to his chest, over the location of the Jewel... 'Wasn't it...?' he thought.  
  
The youkai raised an eyebrow, remembering the screams and the thrashing; "Nothing...?" He held Naraku a little further away so he could look him straight in the eye, "Is that all you're going to tell me?"  
  
Naraku narrowed his eyes in a determined look. "That was all it was.... Why should I tell you any more if there is nothing to tell?" He scanned over Sesshoumaru's thoughts; he swallowed hard and was going to stick with his story. Bracing himself on Sesshoumaru's shoulder, he rose on shaky legs. "It was only a dream." Now he was trying to reassure himself more than trying to convince Sesshoumaru.  
  
Still eyeing him suspiciously, and a little hurt, Sesshoumaru decided to drop the matter--for now. He watched Naraku cross the room to his favorite spot by the window. With the kumo's back to him, Sesshoumaru could clearly see the intricate scar that covered a good portion of his back. It was in the shape of a spider. So that's what it was... He'd felt the strange design on the youkai's back last night after Naraku had fallen asleep on him. But then, it was dark, and the kumo had never really been in a position for him to see it--until now. Silently, he stood up and walked over the pile of discarded clothes. As he gathered up his own garments, he noticed Naraku's shredded kimono and grinned. Sighing, he put on his outer blood-stained kimono, just lightly fastening it in place and then walked over to Naraku-who it seemed hadn't moved the whole time. "Here," he tossed his own undergarment to him, "The morning air is quite cool here."  
  
Naraku glanced back at Sesshoumaru. "Thanks." he said quietly before putting on the undergarment. He sighed bitterly, looking out his window at nothing in particular. 'It feels like the monster is so close.... but there's no evil aura for miles....' He didn't like the venerable feeling that welled up in his chest. His scar, the spider on his back, was beginning to feel most uncomfortable. He shifted his weight, crossing his legs again, in an attempt to ignore it.  
  
"So..." Sesshoumaru said, trying to make light of things with a different subject, "How did you get that scar?"  
  
Naraku's shoulders tensed and he glared at the floor. It happened fifty years ago but he remembered it as if it happened not even yesterday. "My scar..." He said icily... "Before I became who you see in front of you, I was Onigumo.... a thief and a con artist." He sighed, unclenching his jaw. "I traveled with fellows like myself; it's easier to pull off a con in numbers and even easier if they all go by the same story. I remember.... We were staying at a nobleman's home under the claims I had been bitten by a kumo youkai and I could die from the venom at anytime." He smirked at the own absurd sounding lies he had told so many years ago. "And so, amongst my 'friends', I was nicknamed the Kumo-among other ridiculous names... but it wasn't only because of my 'illness'; it was because of how well I could weave the lies I told, fabricating entire histories without a second thought. But they grew tired of me. I wished to stay in the nobleman's home... they wanted to leave but they couldn't without their meal ticket." Naraku's fist tightened. "And so that night after they 'left', I went to sleep in my room, only to be reawakened by shouting and fire and smoke..." He closed his eyes. "I was burnt alive.... but miraculously, I survived and was taken to a priestess...." he swallowed hard, "named Kikyo... She tended my wounds, got underneath the barriers I had set around my heart." His voice was cold and bitter, not dripping with loving nostalgia as it should have been. "I knew she could never love me as a burnt wreck. So I sacrificed my body to demons... I wanted to purge myself of Onigumo and all of his misfortunes and ridiculous emotions. But no one, no matter how powerful, can be purged of themselves completely.... I acquired a new body... but the burn mark remained... in the shape of a kumo no less.... a reminder of who I was.... and it won't go away." His shoulder muscles tightened once more. He'd barely noticed the wetness filling his hands as his fingernails dug deep into the skin.  
  
Sesshoumaru sat still for a few moments, tranced by the story. 'So much for lightening the mood,' he thought bitterly. The smell of Naraku's thick blood, however, pulled at his senses and he looked down at the Kumo's bleeding hand. Reaching over, he took the clenched fist in his own hands and gently unfurled Naraku's fingers. "You shouldn't let these things get to you, Naraku." He'd decided that from now on, he wouldn't call the youkai "kumo" anymore. "However," he reached to the floor to pick up a scrap of cloth from Naraku's pile of shredded garment, "I do apologize for bringing up such a painful memory." He finished tying a hap-hazard bandage over the kumo's wound.  
  
Naraku blinked, shaking his head and in turn, breaking the hold the memories had over him. "I'm stronger than this..." He said, not caring about his injuries while he caught Sesshoumaru's hand. "All of my memories... these nightmares.... you'd think I was human! I'm not supposed to be feeling this." He squeezed subconsciously. "What's happened to me....?" he whispered under his breath. As he looked back up into Sesshoumaru's amber eyes, something in his head clicked into place but he shoved it away. The phantom ache was back again, his chest welled with agony and sorrow this time... not love.  
  
Looking at the other youkai, Sesshoumaru guessed that he was feeling about as bad as he'd felt when he'd told him the meaning for his hatred of Inuyasha. Taking a deep breath, he stood, bringing Naraku up with him by his hand, and put his other hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry about what you're feeling; for you are not alone either. If you need me...I'll be there for you." He tried to smile.  
  
His eyes widened slightly.... 'You're not alone...' Those words echoed in his ears for a reason beyond his comprehension. He'd said that to Sesshoumaru before.... and Sesshoumaru finally said it back. He wanted to hug him, to feel like he wasn't as alone as the ache inside made him feel... but his body would not move. He looked down and away. "Thank you..." he muttered softly.  
  
Sesshoumaru studied him for a moment before suddenly pulling Naraku in his arms. Resting his head over the youkai's shoulder, he said softly, "My pleasure."  
  
Naraku stiffened for a moment because of Sesshoumaru's unexpected gesture. It was like he'd read his mind. He chuckled softly, realizing a bit of irony as he relaxed in Sesshoumaru's arms. He could destroy him at any given moment, and yet Sesshoumaru was handling him like a child. His grin widened. "Maybe.... we should..." he sighed, not wanting to finish the sentence because it meant he'd have to move.... and so, he didn't.  
  
Sesshoumaru held him for a little while longer before he eased back just enough to claim Naraku's mouth for a short-lived kiss. "I know you lied about the dream, and I forgive you. If there is truly something happening to you then I will find out what it is. I care about you too much to just sit around while you grow weaker," Naraku's eyes widened slightly. "Yes...," he continued, "I know of your power's deterioration; I sensed it after you'd woken up but I chose not to say anything--hoping you could fill me in." He raised his eyebrow, "But it seems you yourself do not know the answer."  
  
Naraku smirked, closing his eyes and turning his head. "No, I don't. In my dream... an unknown monster was gripping me like I was no more than a child's doll and crushing me, draining my power at the same time." He became rigid. "That was all, I woke up and the effects were still there." He grimaced. 'Who can help me?!' He thought in desperation. A single word floated to mind. "Maybe we should leave the palace for a while..." He opened his eyes, but the grimace didn't leave. 'Kikyo.... you'd better be worth my time....'  
  
The inu let his arms slowly fall away as he backed up. "Yes.we should begin looking for answers; perhaps we should split up to cover more distance. I know an old acquaintance that might be of use. And if you have your own idea of where to search.?"  
  
Naraku glared icily at the floor. "Yeah I have a hunch as to who can help me." He looked back up at Sesshoumaru, the coldness melting almost instantly.  
  
He nodded. "Very well. Shall we go then?"  
  
Naraku nodded and turned to leave, but he noticed that their attire might.... turn a few heads. Naraku half smiled and took of the clothing Sesshoumaru had given him. "Might want to get properly dressed. I doubt you want the extra unwanted attention." Yes, he was standing quite naked in front of Sesshoumaru, but that soon changed. A new outfit-matching the one torn into shreds on the floor-appeared in one hand, while his baboon suit was in the other. He smirked, showing off, as both outfits disappeared from his hands and reappeared on him. "Like I said, possessing the Shikon Jewel allows me to do neat little tricks."  
  
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and cocked an eyebrow at the saru standing before him. "You mean you could have done that all along and yet you still wore my clothing?"  
  
Naraku chuckled. "Believe me," he stepped closer, making sure his lips brushed the inu's as he spoke, "the less clothing you wear...." He chuckled. "The better." He ran his fingers through the silvery hair and turned before he allowed himself to get carried away.  
  
Sesshoumaru tried earnestly to suppress the giddy feeling Naraku gave him as he looked down and saw that he suddenly wasn't wearing anything. He blushed.  
  
Naraku chuckled. "Very neat tricks..." He turned to face Sesshoumaru, his grin widening. "Seems to me, you could use new clothes." Naraku held out his hand and folded clothes appeared. They were lacking in design and dark in color. "Dark suits you better." He said quietly. Sesshoumaru put on the offered clothing and then watched him as the kumo looked him over intently. Like a predator, Naraku began to circle Sesshoumaru. He stopped behind him, running his fingers through the inu's silken hair that never tangled. He gathered the hair and used a cloth tie (that appeared from no where) to tie it into place atop the youkai's head. Naraku moved to stand in front of him, one hand resting on Sesshoumaru's left side, the other cupping his cheek. "Now I can see your beautiful face." He snickered a little and pulled away. Sesshoumaru's side would be a little weighted down. "Your blades, I picked them up." He nodded and folded his arms. "I figured you'd want them back. After all, trouble always seems to come whenever one leaves the palace grounds." He raised a finger and moved it over. A door somewhere towards the back swung open. "There...." he looked down at the ground. "You may leave through there."  
  
Sesshoumaru placed a hand on the youkai's shoulder before he made a small bow and exited the room. Shortly after, the palace was a small speck that dotted the land beneath him as he set out to talk with his father's old acquaintance-the wise tree demon that dwelled deep in the northern forests.  
  
"This had better be worth it." He looked at the open door and put on his baboon suit hood. He left through the door and shut it behind him. With a snap of his fingers he was standing before an empty tree, soul catchers lurked about. "Kikyo... Show yourself I already know you're there."  
  
She appeared, legs draped lazily over the branches. In her hands she held a soul. She looked down and over her shoulder at Naraku and glared icily. "What do you want now Naraku? I'd thought you'd be content with killing Inuyasha off before I got to. Isn't that misery enough for you?" She sneered at him.  
  
A low growl was forming in Naraku's throat. "He's dead... move on." He snickered as he thought, 'Advice you should take as well Kikyo.' He folded his arms and narrowed his eyes into a glare. "I need information from you."  
  
"And what makes you think I'll have it, Kumo?" She looked back at the soul she was toying with.  
  
Naraku was on the verge of killing her. "Do not EVER call me that again. And I know you'll have the information I need because you were once the keeper of the jewel."  
  
She let go of the soul and it fell into her chest. "Oh, did I touch a rough spot? Would you prefer I call you Onigumo? Because that is the source of your problem. "I can sense the jewel isn't as blackened as it once was. Someone else has affected your heart.... even breeched your soul. And since the jewel is corrupt and evil, and now that love fills the empty hole that was your heart instead of your old blackness... Well...Heh. I think even a dunce like you can see that the evil and good inside of you are fighting for control. Such a silly boy you are."  
  
Naraku had acquired all the information he needed, but apparently Kikyo wasn't through with him. He turned to leave and she snickered, "Heh... tell me... whose life are you going to ruin this time, Kumo?" She folded her arms, grinning arrogantly.  
  
Naraku turned back to face her. He raised a clawed hand and moved to bring it down. He'd expected Onigumo's feeble heart to stop him from killing her.... but it didn't. He could kill her! He smiled as he felt her warm blood dripping off his claws. She looked up at him from the ground. He stood over her, smirking. "You still bleed as heavily as you did 50 years ago on the day I attacked you disguised as Inuyasha. I wish you a slow and painful death." He grinned. Her soul catchers came to her aid but Naraku slashed them to bits as if they were nothing. Once they were all gone he put out his hand, filling the surroundings with poison that would fulfill his wish as he vanished.  
  
He reappeared in his silent palace. He should be feeling satisfied but instead... the lonely castle only seemed to fuel the ache in his chest. He removed his baboon suit and sat in his spot. Naraku tried to ignore the stale smell of dried blood.... of Sesshoumaru's blood. Kikyo's words echoed in his ears as loudly as if she said them herself: 'Whose life are you going to ruin this time, Kumo?' He closed his eyes and bowed his head. There was only one person close to him now... "No..." He whispered.  
  
The sun was beginning to set by the time Sesshoumaru set off back to the palace. And as the wind whipped over his face and body, he was reminded again of his new 'look.' It felt so strange to be wearing different clothes...and with his hair tied up on his head, too. It was very strange, yet...pleasant in way. He looked down at the midnight blue kimono that faded into black and dark grays; he liked his new outfit. He reached a hand up to the ponytail on the top of his head. 'This is going to take some getting used to, though,' he thought as he put his hand back down to his side.  
  
As the palace drew near, Sesshoumaru felt his chest get heavy. He had been unsuccessful in finding out anything from the tree demon. Clenching his fist, he cursed his failure and when the castle was finally in sight, he sincerely hoped Naraku had had some luck in finding out what was happening.  
  
Naraku's head snapped up. He caught Sesshoumaru's scent and the ache turned into something else. "I'll never understand these emotions," he whispered to himself. It didn't matter... Sesshoumaru was back.  
  
Navigating his way back to the room, the inu youkai's chest began to feel like lead. When he finally came to the door, he took a deep breath, pushed the door aside, and stepped into the room. His gaze roamed over the room until it settled on Naraku's slumped form sitting at the base of the window. Not wanting to break the silence just yet, Sesshoumaru walked over to the other youkai and slid against the wall until he was sitting beside him.  
  
Suddenly, the fluttering feeling turned back into the ache. 'I shouldn't be aching...' He looked over at Sesshoumaru. "You came back..." He smiled slightly and bowed his head again. "Find out anything?"  
  
This time it was Sesshoumaru's turn to bow his head. "...No." He raised his head and looked over at Naraku, who still had his head down. "But I will keep searching, Naraku. We'll--"  
  
Naraku half smiled and raised his hand. "It's alright." He took in a heavy breath. "I know what's wrong with me. You needn't search anymore." He put his hand down.  
  
The inu's eyes widened slightly. "Then...what is it? What have you found out?"  
  
Naraku looked down and away, not able to bear being under the amber gaze. "It's nothing serious... I can handle it." One of his fists involuntarily clenched as once again, the former miko's words once again entered his mind: 'Whose life will you ruin this time, Kumo?' His shoulders stiffened.  
  
Sesshoumaru studied him. "You're lying..." He reached out and turned Naraku to face him, but the youkai averted his gaze. "Why won't you look me in the eye? What did you find out?!" He didn't mean to raise his voice as noted Naraku flinch at his tone. "I'm sorry. I...I didn't mean to..." he trailed off, releasing his hold on the youkai's shoulders. He stared at the wall, "I do not wish to see you in such a state..." He turned back to face him, "I want you to tell me what you learned; if not for your sake, then do it for mine."  
  
Naraku sighed. "Look, you don't need to apologize. I will tell you what information I've acquired... It's the jewel embedded in my flesh." For the second time in his life, he chewed on his lip nervously. "You... gave me a heart again... and the jewel cannot coexist with love... And so it is tearing me apart." He glanced at Sesshoumaru's eyes before looking away again.  
  
He stared at Naraku for a long minute before he let his eyes aimlessly wonder about the room, looking at nothing in particular as he pieced together the youkai's words. "I gave him a heart?...And the Shikon Jewel will not share it's space inside him...' It is tearing me apart. 'No!' He would not let that happen! He finally turned back to Naraku, "If that damn jewel is the cause of all this, then remove it from your body!" His thoughts still racing, he hadn't even considered the consequences of the action.  
  
"How can you say that? Just remove it?!" He grit his teeth, fists clenched, fingernails digging into his skin. "I can't... remove it!" He tore his eyes from the floor and locked them with Sesshoumaru's. "This jewel... it makes me a demon! Without it, I will be little more than Inuyasha was... a weak pathetic half breed! Who wants a half breed...?" He tore his eyes away. 'I know you won't,' He thought bitterly. The ache was getting worse. No matter how badly he wanted to cover it with his hand, his bloody (and still bleeding) fists remained at his sides. He pretended he didn't ache, that his chest wasn't tearing itself in half. "I cannot remove the jewel because of what I will become...."  
  
"Don't be such a fool, Naraku."  
  
"Fool? I am not a fool." He said coldly.  
  
His eyes softened as he leaned close, "You think I will not have you if you return to your half demon self....don't you.." It wasn't really a question. His lips brushed against Naraku's as he whispered, "Why do you think I made love to you in the first place?" The kumo started to open his mouth but Sesshoumaru placed a finger over it as he continued, "It's because I have chosen you...as my mate." He removed his finger to place his mouth where it had been. He looked into Naraku's eyes as he added, "You belong to me now...I will have no other."  
  
Naraku's eyes widened in disbelief. His hands were no longer balled into bloody fists. 'I...belong to him....' He smiled slightly, trying to take it all in. Maybe he was dreaming.... but if so, he never wanted to wake up. The pain was gone.... He didn't hurt in that moment.  
  
Sesshoumaru leaned into Naraku and gripped his auburn hair in one fist while the other reached up and untied the twist that held his hair, which then fell in long silvery locks spilling down his shoulders. He embraced his partner and drew him nearer, and felt that there was still a mild tension. "Relax," he kissed his throat, "Do not think of the future.." he moved to his lips and then kissed his forehead as he crooned, "Be with me now.."  
  
Everywhere Sesshoumaru's skin touched his, it burned delightfully. He craved that touch; ached for it. The words were lost; all Naraku had been listening to was the sound of his voice. Their clothes, (and Sesshoumaru's weapons), were becoming a nuisance. So, with a flick of his wrist, they both no longer had to deal with that hassle. He claimed Sesshoumaru's lips for his own in a vicious kiss. He put his hands on either side of the youkai's throat, fingernails threatening to cut away as his hands moved from his neck to his shoulders.  
  
Sesshoumaru smiled against Naraku's lips as he brought his hands up to the kumo's face. "Now..." he said as he paired up the fingernails on each hand, "..I'll mark you as my own," and with that, he drug his claws over Naraku's cheekbones, letting some of his venom seep into the cuts.  
  
He grimaced and refused to cry out from pain. "Sesshoumaru..." he sad quietly just for the sake of hearing his name.  
  
"Shhh..." He covered Naraku's mouth with his own, closing his eyes so that he couldn't see the burning flesh on the youkai's fair face. 'Do not try to heal it,' he thought at him, 'it will only make it burn hotter.'  
  
He winced as his body tried to heal it. He had to tell himself to stop.  
  
'It's almost finished,' his mind told him, and he yanked his hands away from the youkai's face and then buried them in his long, wavy locks. "It's complete now," he sighed against his partner's neck, "You are now mine and no other's; and those marks prove it."  
  
Naraku sighed; his face still burned a little. He waved his hand behind him and a large mirror appeared. Reluctantly he pulled away from Sesshoumaru. He wanted to see what the youkai had done. He rose and turned, wincing at the sudden pain that filled his chest. He gazed into the mirror, his hands rising and touching the marks. He closed his eyes and smiled slightly.  
  
Sesshoumaru came up behind Naraku and put his arms around him. Glancing at their reflection and then back at Naraku, he asked in a light tone, "Do you object to my claims on you?"  
  
Naraku shook his head slowly, opening his eyes to look at their reflection. He turned around in Sesshoumaru's arms, kissing him lightly. "You ask the strangest things." He chuckled, his fingernails danced lightly over the youkai's skin.  
  
The inu shivered involuntarily as Naraku continued the motion of his nails over his back, making his hair stand on end. 'If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're doing this on purpose,' Sesshoumaru thought out at him as he tried to reach behind him and still the youkai's hands.  
  
"Me? Do this," he raked his nails down the inu's back, "on purpose?" He chuckled, kissing Sesshoumaru lightly, pulling away only far enough so he could speak. "Now why would I do a thing like that?"  
  
Sesshoumaru arched his back as another wave of chills traveled down his spine. He shivered again and gave Naraku a mocking glare as he got out his own claws and ran them over the kumo's ribs and back. He grinned devilishly as he taunted, "Let's see how you like it!"  
  
He winced and cocked an eyebrow, putting his clawed forefinger right behind the bone in Sesshoumaru's chin, his finger puncturing the skin as he pulled the youkai's lips to his own for a brief second before pulling away. The scent of blood hung lightly in the air. Naraku smirked. "That give you any inkling?" he said quietly.  
  
Sesshoumaru had had just about enough games. Acting on a sudden impulse, the inu smirked and quickly wrapped a leg around both of Naraku's and then drew it back, causing the youkai's knees to buckle. He was sure of his victory in bringing down the mighty Naraku until he felt a tug on his head as he saw the kumo's tight grip on a good portion of his hair. 'Uh-oh.' They both came crashing down but somehow, Sesshoumaru ended up on the floor first--cushioning Naraku's fall with his ribs. "Ugh..." He reached up to push the youkai off of him but the kumo grabbed both of his hands.  
  
Naraku put both of Sesshoumaru's hands above his head. "I don't think so. You've claimed me..." he made it so their lips brushed as he spoke, "without knowing what you got yourself into." He grinned then kissed him hard on the lips.  
  
Sesshoumaru moaned and explored Naraku's mouth with his tongue, his body leaning into Naraku's as he thought, 'I think I can handle it.'  
  
Naraku broke the kiss and whispered into Sesshoumaru's ear, "Oh really? What if I kissed you everywhere except where you wanted me to? Hmm?" He nibbled on his ear lobe. "Could you handle that?"  
  
Sesshoumaru turned his head and kissed Naraku. He playfully added, "Well if that's the case, then there can be no winner," he lightly bit the youkai's lower lip and whispered, "Because there is not a single part of my body that doesn't burn for your touch." He bit down on Naraku's lip again, and this time drew blood.  
  
Naraku licked away at his own blood, smiling slightly. "Really?" he said in his low velvety voice. His fingernails traced over the markings on the inu's face. "Does your body burn for me here?" he kissed the youkai's throat, nipping lightly. "What about here?" he trailed kisses to Sesshoumaru's shoulder.  
  
Lying there helplessly as Naraku trailed kisses over his body, Sesshoumaru didn't know how much more he could take--until he realized that his hands were no longer bound above his head. He lunged for the youkai's hands as they began to slide down his abdomen. Gripping the kumo's wrists firmly, he moved them behind Naraku's back and then rolled over on top of him. As he glowered down on him, he thought, 'You see.I can handle a pup like you.' Naraku's eyes glared at him, raising an eyebrow as a low growl rumbled in his throat. "Hahahaha...You know," he leaned closer, "you can be quite adorable when you're pinned to the floor and immobilized." He chuckled and licked the blood from the kumo's lips before it dried.  
  
Naraku saw his chance and bit down on Sesshoumaru's tongue. 'Take that' He thought triumphantly.  
  
His eyes crossed before he blinked. "OWW!" 'WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!' his thoughts screamed at him. He tried to pull away but Naraku only clamped down harder, an odd triumphant look in his eye. "Aaahnnn!" He narrowed his eyes in accusation, 'What do you think you're doing?!' His tongue was beginning to bleed into his mouth.  
  
'How could I pass up that delightful tongue of yours when it was right in front of my mouth, on my lips even?' He projected his thoughts into his koi's head. 'Oh my.... you're bleeding.' He bit harder, making more blood flow before he let up a little and sucked on his tongue, relishing in the taste of Sesshoumaru's blood.  
  
'You little impudent bas--! I CAN'T FEEL MY TONGUE ANYMORE!!!' He jerked his hands from behind Naraku's back and pried open the kumo's mouth by force. When his tongue was finally released he scrambled backwards, blood dripping down his chin the whole time. He tried to somehow cradle his aching mouth as he shot death glares at Naraku, who was now a safe four feet away, grinning at him as his lips were coated with Sesshoumaru's blood.  
  
Naraku sat up, stretching and smirking. "Not so cute pinned down am I?" He rose, licking the blood away with immense delight. He sat down next to the Inu's legs, leaning forward. "You should know that's when I fight dirty." He cupped Sesshoumaru's face with his hand and pulled him forward into a rough kiss, his tongue exploring the inu's mouth. After a few second he pulled away, his chest ached so badly this time, Naraku winced.  
  
Even though his tongue felt like it was full of needles, Sesshoumaru had allowed Naraku to kiss him. Because right before he was going to give the kumo a taste of his own medicine, Naraku had pulled away as if in pain and pleasure at the same time. He watched the youkai put a hand to his chest as if to suppress the feeling. "Ishhumtingduhmaherr?" Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and he clamped a hand over his mouth as re realized what had just come out of it.  
  
Naraku's chest felt it was going to tear itself in half at any given moment, but then Sesshoumaru spoke. 'Perfect... I can hide it now.' He burst into forced laughter. "What's the matter? Did I bite too hard? Kumo got your tongue?" He snickered. 'That's it... make him forget what he just saw...'  
  
Sesshoumaru glared at him with hellfire in his eyes. 'Prick.'  
  
"Oh you know you love me anyways..." He smirked in playfulness, hoping Sesshoumaru wouldn't notice the pain in his eyes. He folded his arms. "What are you going to do about it anyways? Hmm?"  
  
Sesshoumaru tore his gaze away and looked at the wall as he sighed, 'So this is the thanks I get for being concerned about my mate.'  
  
As if the pain in his chest wasn't enough, Sesshoumaru's words made it worse. He gasped sharply. "It's... the jewel..." He took in heavy breaths, trying to remain sitting and not falling over from being so dizzy. 'Feels like it's going to tear me in two....' He thought at him because he couldn't form the words.  
  
Sesshoumaru quickly turned around and saw Naraku grip his chest as he started to sway. Rushing over to him, he braced him and his thoughts raced as he asked, 'What can I do??' He brushed the auburn hair from the youkai's face--which was beginning to glisten with a cold sweat--and frantically searched his eyes for an answer.  
  
Naraku bit back his pain, grinding his teeth as he took in heavy breaths. He felt Sesshoumaru stroking his hair and it helped a little. 'I don't... know what to do...' He closed his eyes painfully wanting nothing more than Sesshoumaru's touch at the moment.  
  
Not knowing what he could do to ease his mate's pain, the inu simply offered himself as he wrapped his arms around Naraku protectively and buried his face in the wavy locks, gently rocking him back and forth.  
  
Naraku's mind was racing. 'When did it start hurting?!' he thought frantically.... He didn't hurt until he was mean to Sesshoumaru, even though he was only playing. And before that... the pain stopped when the inu kissed him.... "Sesshoumaru..." he said softly, determined to test his theory out. "Kiss me..."  
  
He stopped rocking and opened his eyes, not sure of what he'd just heard. "What? Kiss you?" his brows slightly furrowed in confusion, "I don't see how--"  
  
"Just do it..." Naraku cut him off. He cried out as another wave of pain came crashing down on him. "Please!"  
  
"Alright!" The inu cupped Naraku's face in his hands and covered his mouth with his own as he kissed the youkai passionately; putting all he could into that one request he didn't yet understand.  
  
Naraku sighed happily... the pain was gone... In that instant, he didn't ache at all! He happily kissed back, then broke the kiss smiling, "It doesn't hurt..." But as soon as the words left his mouth, he clutched at his chest again. "It...didn't hurt..." he corrected himself. "When you kissed me..." He gasped in pain. "Kiss me again..."  
  
Not needing to be goaded any further, Sesshoumaru immediately kissed him again and his hands began to roam over the kumo's back and through his silken hair. 'You know I would do anything for you...' Sesshoumaru thought to him, "..So tell me...is this all I can do?'  
  
Naraku grinned. "No... By all means... please do more." He ran his fingers across Sesshoumaru's scalp and through his silver hair. He was glad at this point they weren't wearing clothes...  
  
"Heh...As you wish," he then took the liberty to brace the youkai's back as he gently lowered him to the padded floor, kissing him all the while. As his hands continued to roam over Naraku's body, he felt relieved as he sensed the tension in his mate gradually get smaller. When they were both finally ready, he kissed Naraku deeply and carefully folded himself into the youkai's lean frame. And as he moved in him, he couldn't sense the "wrongness" inside his partner anymore; by the time their love reached the climax, there was no trace of pain on Naraku's face at all. When it was over, Sesshoumaru still continued to kiss and embrace him--he didn't want to give the jewel another chance to cause his mate anymore pain. Eventually, though, his body couldn't stay awake anymore and he found himself slipping into a dreamless slumber...his love still wrapped in his arms.  
  
He didn't hurt as badly after Sesshoumaru fell asleep. The phantom ache was just that... a ghost amongst all else. 'How long will it last.... this peace cannot remain with a heart torn in two like mine.' He sighed softly and stroked the sleeping inu's face tenderly. "I don't want to hurt you..." He whispered and forced himself to go to sleep.  
  
A/N: *falls to the floor exhausted*. MAN, was that a looooong  
chapter.. I hope you guys are satisfied for awhile until part  
seven is written. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading our ficcy!  
God bless! (Oh, and a happy new year, etc, etc..) 


	7. The Inner Demon

Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter  
  
  
  
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde  
  
  
  
Part Four: The Inner Demon  
  
As sleep finally reached his weary mind, a landscape spread before him. The ground was cold and barren as he stood in the middle of a vast pool of nothingness. Shadows danced in and out of sight, as if they were specters about to attack as soon as he turned away. His eyes searched the dreamscape frantically. 'No....' Naraku panicked inwardly. 'I know this...' A breeze generated purely to frighten him wafted by, dragging fingers of ice across his skin, chilling him to the very bone with the slightest touch. He put his hands over his ears as the breeze whispered to him.  
  
'You are unfit to live.... And you know it.... Don't you..?'  
  
Naraku growled. 'Stop it!'  
  
An eerie laughter filled the ominous silence after he had spoken. 'Stop it? Why on earth would I do a thing like that?' The breeze grew stronger, as if possessing a mind of its own.  
  
Naraku forced himself not to shudder as the gentle caress became fierce.  
  
'Everyday. you would wake up alone with the thought that you would always be alone. and you became embittered; taking pleasure in other's pain..'  
  
Naraku felt as if a giant hand had closed around his frame, squeezing the life out of him as he cried out in pain.  
  
'And now you're going soft; loving again... Want to see what will happen if you continue your ridiculous obsession?'  
  
Naraku cried out once more as the pain, that icy pain became unbearable.  
  
'Answer me!'  
  
The kumo couldn't breathe, he mouthed the word "No," and the unseen enemy tightened his grip; the loud crack of bones could be heard as one of Naraku's ribs broke.  
  
'If you will not watch willingly, then you shall be forced, and you will feel the pain of those in question as well..For love always ends in misery!'  
  
Naraku collapsed and fell to the ground as the phantom released his hold. A blinding light filled the surrounding, (a scene Naraku remembered quite well). It was all so real.. He could feel grass beneath him, hear the birds sing, smell the scent of blood. 'Who's.' But he was cut off by a voice he had longed to forget.  
  
"Die, Inuyasha!" The miko's eyes were narrowed in a deadly glare as blood streamed down her front. Naraku bit back a cry as his shoulder went ablaze with pain.  
  
"Kikyo, no!" But the arrow had already sunken into the hanyou's chest, which sent more pain flaring through Naraku's heart. "Why? You.. betrayed me." The hanyou's eyes closed and the miko dropped to the ground. But the pain did not leave Naraku; it welled up, fueling the ache where his heart should be.  
  
'Couldn't stop there, could you!?' The phantom shouted. 'Oh no. that'd be far too simple.'  
  
The scene vanished, plunging Naraku into darkness once more. The next scene wasn't so bright. and the setting was Naraku's own palace.  
  
"Kohaku!" The demon huntress turned and watched her brother stand there with lifeless eyes, chain sickle drenched in their father's blood. The siblings fought, each blow that was dealt caused Naraku to feel more unbearable pain.  
  
"You!!" Sango shouted as she rounded up on the real kumo youkai. But the blade's sickle sank into her back before she could advance. Naraku cried out as the burn scar flared with pain.  
  
"What have I?. Sango!" Kohaku called out.  
  
"Shoot the crazed siblings!" The demon shouted, arrows went flying.  
  
"Sango. I'm so scared."  
  
Naraku took in shuddering breaths. 'I can't take anymore pain!' He shouted but no one could hear him.  
  
"It'll be ok.Kohaku." And they fell to the ground..  
  
'You could have stopped there. could have ended your pointless massacre. but did you, Kumo? No.. You destroyed the love between them all.. And you could not let it go.. For them all to suffer once, it wasn't enough for your greedy heart..' The scent of blood was so thick, he wanted to retch.  
  
"And now you meet your fate, Inuyasha."  
  
Naraku jerked his attention to witness himself, readying his claws to bring them down on the half alive hanyou.  
  
"NO!!! Inuyasha!" Kagome lunged and took the blow, saving the hanyou from the poison claws.  
  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted. "Naraku! What have you done?!" Inuyasha shouted as Kagome lay dying in his arms, tears streaming down his face.  
  
The scene moved to elsewhere on the field, where the monk bit his lip hard in pain as he tried to hold back the wind tunnel. "Sango! Get back!" He shouted as the demon huntress rose on shaky legs. "You have a chance to live Sango. Get away!" But she smiled sadly and took his left hand. "Sango." Tears filled his eyes. "You can't.."  
  
She shook her head. "Miroku. Even now I won't leave you."  
  
The wind tunnel tore loose, Miroku fought hard to hold it away from her. "Sango please.. Don't do this." But she never let go. even as they were both destroyed by the curse Naraku had inflicted upon Miroku's family. Naraku could feel the tears of pain burning his face as his whole body was consumed by it. But it wasn't over.  
  
"Naraku. You'll pay for this!!!" Inuyasha gently laid Kagome on the bloodstained soil.  
  
"Something the matter, Inuyasha? I recall you saying you never felt anything for this woman, so I did you a favor and rid you of her..." Naraku watched himself smirk through teary eyes. He couldn't look away and he knew what was to come. The hanyou's eyes flashed red. His own laugh filled the air before he continued his sentence, "Just like I rid you of Kikyo over fifty years ago.." The pain inside his chest felt like it was going to make him burst as he watched himself proceed with cutting Inuyasha down, noting that Kikyo was watching in the distance.  
  
'You loved the pain they felt. after all, at the time they were little more than toys to you.And now you feel the pain you caused.'  
  
The scene faded, leaving him in darkness.  
  
'You've proven that you cannot co-exist with love. And then that mongrel dug his claws into you; he ripped open your soul.. He allowed this pain to befall you, and you know it..'  
  
Naraku shook his head frantically. "NO!" he shouted. "He. didn't.. He wouldn't!"  
  
A vicious laugh filled the dark. 'He said it himself.. He told you he was going to kill you.. What better way than from the inside out.?'  
  
"Liar! He said he loved me.. Half demon or no. I am his.." Naraku glared, tears still falling from his eyes. "You're lying to me! When I'm with him.. I don't feel this pain! There is no suffering!"  
  
'Don't delude yourself. Haven't you ever wondered why that is? It is solely because when you are with him, he's fulfilling his own needs. he can't have you in pain during then now can he? Sesshoumaru is the source of your ache. it is he who has a firm grasp around your heart.. It is he who is killing you off slowly." The shadows gathered from all around, bringing to life the voice that haunted him so. "Believe in me." The phantom stepped into Naraku's line of sight. "Because I am you.. I am who you used to be." The phantom smirked. He was the exact image of Naraku before he was aware he was capable of love. His eyes glowed red, his face free of the marks Sesshoumaru had given to the present Naraku. "...before your soul was ripped from you."  
  
"No.. If you are me than your words are worthless." Naraku spat at his feet, forcing himself to rise and face his opponent, eye to eye.  
  
"You will sorely regret those words leaving you mouth." The phantom narrowed his eyes and shot out the branch like appendages, which coiled around Naraku before he could even blink. The vicious apparition raised Naraku high above the ground, so even if he did escape, he would plunge to his death. "When you weaken.. My power grows!" The appendages tightened as Naraku's energy was drained from him. Cruel laughter rang throughout his ears as Naraku shouted in pain..  
  
He awoke before the act was complete.. He always awoke before the process was finished. His hands flew to his chest as he started coughing violently, blood seeping out of the corner of his lip. But the restraining feeling was still there. He felt two arms firmly locked around him and he struggled, shoving them away. "Stop it!"  
  
Sesshoumaru woke with a start as Naraku's coughing and thrashing about and screaming at him to 'stop it' jerked his mind from its slumber. His eyes shot open and he tried to analyze the situation: Naraku had apparently woken from another nightmare. He smelled the blood before he saw it, 'This one must have been even more intense than the last,' he concluded as Naraku desperately tried to free himself from Sesshoumaru's embrace. He let go and the youkai rolled away from him, still hugging his chest and choking on some blood. Sesshoumaru sat up and propped himself on an elbow. "Naraku, what is it? Was it the nightmare?" He slowly leaned over closer, arm extended to touch the kumo's shoulder, "Naraku, you can tell me. I--"  
  
"NO! Stay away from me!" He shouted, covering his ears before he burst into a coughing fit, blood splattering the floor.  
  
The words stung a little, but he tried again, "Naraku, it's me. You must tell me why this is continuing to happen; I do now wish to see you this way." He didn't attempt to touch him; however, he also didn't lower his arm. "Naraku, please talk to me!"  
  
(The phantom wasn't going to let his prey get away so easily. He had succeeded in taking away much of Naraku's original power, thus giving him access to manipulate a portion of the kumo's senses. He seized control of Naraku's right eye and ear, allowing him to filter in what the kumo heard and saw to a certain extent.)  
  
Naraku's eyes widened in shock and horror as he heard Sesshoumaru say: "Naraku, it's me. Must you continue this way; I do not wish to see you." He shook his head, his breathing labored. "Naraku, please talk to me!" "NO!!" He shouted, shaking his head violently.  
  
Seeing his partner is such distress did not bode well with him. Sesshoumaru scooted closer and put his hands on the kumo's bare shoulders. "Naraku, you are worrying me! Won't you tell me what's wrong?!" He looked at the kumo's balled fists that were crossed over his chest as he struggled to breathe. "It's the Jewel, isn't it? Damnit, Naraku, take it out!" Not thinking, he reached for the clenched fists to relax them.  
  
He was so confused! He was hearing Sesshoumaru but the words seemed to be overlapping as he heard the inu say: "Naraku, you are worrying me! Won't you tell me what's wrong with the jewel?", and then the inu reached for his chest as he heard the words: "Damnit, Naraku, give it out to me!" He couldn't be hearing this right! "Stop toying with my head!" He shouted, trying to move away from Sesshoumaru; he was becoming frantic... he couldn't let Sesshoumaru have the jewel!  
  
The inu narrowed his eyes. 'So...there must be something inside him that is causing this behavior... I must find out what it is..' His grip on the kumo's shoulders tightened as he demanded full attention. "Naraku." The youkai wouldn't look at him. "Naraku! Naraku, look at me!" Slowly, as if that simple action required great amounts of strength, Naraku turned his head around to face him, and their eyes momentarily locked. Sesshoumaru gasped at what he saw in the kumo's eyes, or rather, what he saw in his right eye. It looked as if it had been cut from glass as it stared back at him with a kind of sadistic malice. When the inu tried to look deeper, he sensed a dark presence behind the amethyst orb and it echoed cruel laughter in his mind before it was cut off as Naraku broke eye contact. He unconsciously relaxed his hold and the kumo immediately twisted free and scrambled to his feet as he put distance between them.  
  
He looked at the floor, only the sound of his breathing reaching his ears for the time being. Desperately, he tried to gather his thoughts. And when he was about to speak, he saw Sesshoumaru lunge at him from the corner of his eye. Blindly, Naraku swung only to find the inu had never left his place. "What!?" He said breathlessly. His eyes weren't agreeing with each other. When he covered his right eye, he saw Sesshoumaru sitting there, confusion and concern written all over his features. But when he covered his left, he saw Sesshoumaru crouch down, ready to pounce and claw him to shreds. "What's...." A hoarse whisper reached his ear:  
  
'Oh, you can't get rid of me that easily, Naraku.... And as you can plainly "see", now you have no sanctuary from me!'  
  
Naraku's hands flew to his head. "NO!!!" He shouted. "Get out of my head!" The right side of his mouth seemed to twitch, as if he were going to smile and laugh. But the malicious laughter never left his lips; it only echoed in his head over and over. He felt his body wanting to tear itself in two; every nerve ending flared with pain. And right as he thought the phantom in him would succeed, he felt a sharp blow to the back of his neck and his whole world went black as he was plunged into an all too familiar landscape.  
  
Sesshoumaru caught Naraku in his arms before the youkai fell to the floor. "Sorry," he whispered. Kneeling, he gently set Naraku down and retrieved their clothes-which he'd noticed were neatly folded in the corner of the room-before he returned to the kumo's side. He dressed himself first, and then carefully fit Naraku in his usual outfit. 'There,' he thought, 'Now we shall see who is on the other side of that eye..' He forced Naraku's right eye open and plunged his mind into past its barriers, bracing himself for anything he might find in its icy depths.  
  
The phantom smirked as he gave a sharp kick to Naraku's side. "Still won't give in!?" He shouted. Naraku gasped when he saw someone who shouldn't have been seeing this... any of this! The phantom's eyes slowly followed Naraku's line of sight and fell upon Sesshoumaru. "Aw, would you look at that, Naraku.... your tormentor has finally come to watch you rot from the inside out. How touching."  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed to slits. "Get away from him." He raised his poisoned claws to add to the threat. He walked closer and momentarily averted his gaze to the figure on the ground, his eyes softened. "Are you alright, Naraku?"  
  
The phantom laughed maniacally before Naraku could respond. "Listen to him; he's trying to play with your mind! After all.... he is the reason your body is in pain.... he is why you are growing steadily weaker, Naraku. He tore your soul loose! And now he's trying to pin the blame on someone else. Tsk, tsk. Such a foolish one you are, Sesshoumaru." the phantom said with a large sneer across his face, claws at the ready to attack at any given moment and eradicate the last obstacle in his path.  
  
The inu youkai pinned the phantom with a deathly glare. "So I take it you are the one whom I saw behind Naraku's eye. You are the one plaguing his sleep and raping his mind while he's awake... Who are you?"  
  
"I am... Naraku, before you corrupted his sound mind. I have done nothing but show him what will become of him if he continues to love you. Because I speak the truth when I say you are the cause of all his pain and suffering." The phantom fixed Sesshoumaru with his own glare. "And don't you even deny it. "A low chuckle escaped his throat. The inu couldn't worm his way out of that one.  
  
"I have done nothing to harm him. It is you who lies! It is you who is killing him!!" His anger was rising. He lunged at the false Naraku, barely missing his smirking face as he disappeared into thin air.  
  
The phantom spoke from everywhere and nowhere all at once. "Tsk, tsk.. Sesshoumaru.... So slow; so naive!" A loud, malicious laughter echoed around them from all sides, ringing in their ears as if to declare its malicious intents. "Even you cannot defeat me! I will regain control once more." The phantom appeared behind Sesshoumaru and whispered, "And you will perish by the hands of your former love."  
  
The inu's eyes widened in disbelief. He turned around with lightning speed and decapitated the phantom, but it was futile, as the body evaporated into a black smoke and dispersed.  
  
More laughter rang out. "Are you deaf!? You cannot win! Not when I control his subconscious." The phantom appeared, sneering and chuckling as he hand wrapped around Sesshoumaru's throat before he could react, claws piercing and digging into his skin. "Die...."  
  
Sesshoumaru tried to claw at the hand round his neck, but he was steadily becoming weaker. It was only until his body began to fade and he felt himself being pulled back into his physical body that he realized something on the other side had to be affecting his connection...  
  
Sesshoumaru blinked and was thrown back into his material body. He was on his back and his lungs struggled to fill with air and he gasped for breath that wouldn't come. He reached up to his neck to find that someone's hands were there, choking him, and they only squeezed tighter as he tried in vain to dislodge them. His eyes shot open and locked gazes with Naraku, only it wasn't his mate that stared back at him. The kumo's left eye covered by hair, it was the right eye, the phantom's eye, which looked back at him with satisfaction as the color drained out of him. Sesshoumaru coughed and gasped for air, and the corner of Naraku's mouth rose in a smirk.  
  
"Oh that look of pain on your face," he chuckled, tightening his grasp, "How I love it so!" The smirk grew as he saw Sesshoumaru wince and bite back a yelp of pain when the phantom sank Naraku's claws deeper into the pale flesh of Sesshoumaru's throat.  
  
Coughing and fighting to stay alive, Sesshoumaru hoarsely called out to his mate, "Nara..ku!," he was beginning to lose consciousness as he whispered, "Naraku...wake up..." His vision went black and his eyes slid to the back of his skull as his breath drew short and his hands fell away from the claws at his neck.  
  
The phantom smirked as he increased his grasp and the life fled from the inu youkai. "Heh. too easy."  
  
"What have you done.?" Naraku whispered quietly.  
  
"Be quiet you insolent fool! I've done you a favor and rid you of your pain.. Now I can take over."  
  
"No! I will never let you take over! I'll do the world a favor and kill us both off!" Naraku's left hand flew to his throat, catching it in a deathly grip.  
  
In a strangled voice, the phantom spoke. "You. lack the courage.. to carry through with it!" The right hand released Sesshoumaru and tried to pry Naraku's hand from his throat. "Go. back to wallowing. in your self pity!" He tore the hand free from their throat, panting.  
  
Naraku looked over at Sesshoumaru's limp body on the floor next to him and became outraged, a surge of power flowing through him.  
  
"What are you doing!?" The phantom yelled.  
  
Naraku focused all of his energy into ridding himself of the phantom's presence. "Getting rid of you." Naraku said coldly, anger still coursing through his veins. He glanced over his shoulder once more and took in a sharp breath and raised his fist, bringing it down hard onto the floor, making a small crater. "I killed him." He whispered quietly.  
  
The phantom was gone for the moment, banished back into the dark place of Naraku's subconscious. But the kumo had no idea when he'd be back. He rose to his feet shakily, just regaining control over his entire body back, and walked drunkenly to Sesshoumaru's side. He dropped to his knees and scooped Sesshoumaru up, clutching him to his chest. "I'm sorry." He stroked the cold skin of Sesshoumaru's face, fighting back the tears that welled in his eyes.  
  
A blue-black light caught his eye; he turned his head slowly and saw the glow was coming from a sword. Sesshoumaru's sword. He looked down at the cold, lifeless body of his love and set him down on the floor gently. Once more, he rose on shaky legs and staggered to the sword leaning against the wall. He reached out and clutched the hilt with one hand and the sheath with his other. He turned and went back to Sesshoumaru. He knew the sword could heal him, but he didn't know exactly how to do it. Slowly, he drew it from its sheath looked at the blade as the glow intensified. He closed his eyes as he brought it over his head and then down into Sesshoumaru's unmoving chest before dropping to his knees once more.  
  
A blinding light filled the room, and Naraku shielded his eyes and waited. He heard the clattering of the sword as it dropped to the ground from Sesshoumaru's chest. Naraku looked up hopefully, praying to anyone that would listen for Sesshoumaru's life to return, but the inu didn't move. "No." he whispered and gathered Sesshoumaru into his arms once more. His eyes flew opened and widened in shock as the sounds he had longed to hear reached his ears; the sound of Sesshoumaru breathing once more..of his heart beating steadily in his chest.  
  
He could feel himself...alive...again. But, hadn't he died? He remembered the phantom Naraku on top of him, choking him until he couldn't breathe or think...and he remembered slipping away as he called out to Naraku. He heard a familiar voice saying his name, and his eyes fluttered open as he gazed into amethyst eyes that were bright with tears. "Na..Naraku..?"  
  
Naraku smiled. "Sesshoumaru!" He pulled him close in an awkward hug. "I'm sorry... I ... couldn't stop him and... Oh I'm so happy you're alive!" He pressed his lips to Sesshoumaru's for a short-lived kiss. He could feel the tears that had welled up, and burn his cheeks as they fell down his face.  
  
Sesshoumaru reached up and wiped away the streaks that stained his love's pretty face. "Why do you cry? A demon like me doesn't deserve tears; give me a smirk like you always do." He gave a half smile.  
  
Naraku smiled, shaking his head, tears still falling from his eyes. "Sesshoumaru..." He cupped Sesshoumaru's cheek, thumb rubbing the warm skin beneath it. "I'm sorry..." His hand went to his throat, glad the ugly purple bruises were gone. "I couldn't stop him..."  
  
This time, Sesshoumaru leaned up and silenced him with a slightly longer- lived kiss. "I know..." He tried to sit up straighter, "I know it wasn't you...Do not blame yourself." Still feeling a little dizzy, he stopped trying to regain his posture and just leaned against Naraku, needing his support. "So...what do we do now?"  
  
"I can't stay...." he whispered. "I have him under control now... but how long I can manage it is a mystery.... What if he..." Naraku shook his head, not wanting to finish his sentence. "I'm too much of a danger... I don't want to lose you again and watch helplessly as the act is committed..."  
  
Not knowing what to say, the inu simply didn't say anything. He looked down and let his eyes go out of focus.  
  
He winced as the jewel started acting up again. "Sesshoumaru.... I have to leave...soon." He tilted the inu's face upwards and kissed him lightly before setting him down on the floor.  
  
"Wait, where are you going?" He got up and faced him, 'I will not lose you to that monster again..'  
  
Naraku averted his gaze, not wanting to meet the inu's eyes. "I don't know, but you can't follow me. Next time... I don't think I'll be able to stop him. Please... don't" he turned to leave.  
  
"Stop! What do you plan to do?"  
  
He paused, closing his eyes before continuing towards the door.  
  
Sesshoumaru grabbed his arm and turned him around to face him. "I... I will not let you just walk away from me like that!" He pulled him into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Because...because I..." shutting his eyes, he rested his head against the youkai's hair and whispered, "..I love you..."  
  
Naraku wanted to sink back into that touch and feel safe and.... loved. "I... I love you too..." He took in a few shuddering breaths. "But I don't want to hurt you...." He clenched his teeth and pulled away. ''Even if it means I'll never see you again... You have to be safe..." he whispered, resuming his determined walk to the door.  
  
His eyes welled up as he watched his love open the door and walk out of the room. "Please come back to me.." he whispered.  
  
Naraku paused one last time. He looked down at the ground, taking a deep breath as he forced himself to leave; the image of his hand wrapped around Sesshoumaru's throat was the only thing that drove him forward as he left his love behind.....  
  
A/N: awww. well, it's not as long as the previous chapter, but yeah.. I think there will be about two more chapters left of the story, and then it will be done! (sorry, guys, but we can't keep the story goin' forever and still keep up a good plot. ^__^;; ANYway, I hope you enjoyed chapter 7. Give reviews! And God bless!!! ~*The Gifted Ten 


	8. Battered Souls

Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter  
  
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde  
  
Part Eight: **Battered Souls**

Sesshoumaru sat under a large oak tree, raking his fingers through his long hair restlessly. It had been three days. Three days since that dreadful day he'd watched Naraku walk out of that room--out of his life... It was driving him crazy not knowing where his mate was, if he was alright or not. Had the phantom taken over his mind? Or had Naraku been able to suppress it? He didn't think the latter was true; for if Naraku had overcome the phantom, wouldn't he have come searching for him? Surely his mate wanted to see him just as badly as he did. Sighing, he stood up and looked out past the countryside. Nothing out of the ordinary...Nothing that gave any indication that Naraku was present. He'd been looking for his mate the past two days, but keeping a low profile—as usual—so he wouldn't arouse suspicion was costing him precious time.  
  
He clenched his fist. "Damnit, Naraku... where are you?" He whipped around and slammed his fist into the trunk of the tree. It split down the middle and then each side fell, knocking down other smaller trees as it descended. He dislodged the numerous splinters from his hand and turned towards the mountains. He'd combed through those peaks from base to summit and found nothing. He turned towards the east. Every village and forest he'd searched turned up no clues. The northern region hadn't been any help either. He glanced to the west. It was a vast region once one crossed the ocean; it was full of many civilizations and different lands. "You wouldn't have traveled to the west; there are too many people and distractions." Turning to the south, the one place left his mate could have possibly gone, he wondered what kind of hope a barren wasteland of snow and ice could yield. Coming to an answer, he smirked. "The perfect kind." And with that, he set out for the southern-most land: Antarctica.

* * *

Another gust of icy wind struck him hard. He could barely feel it; he was so cold and numb that he had become used to the pain.  
  
"You fool! We'll freeze to death out here!" The phantom growled.  
  
"Then so be it. Because when I die, I'll take you with me and you'll never be able to hurt anyone I care for again." He said quietly.  
  
"He hates you now...for leaving him. I can feel it. Right now he's probably searching around the globe so he can find you and let you have it." The phantom sneered.  
  
But Naraku didn't respond. He found it harder and harder to stay awake. But it didn't matter; he welcomed death.

* * *

As Sesshoumaru crossed the ocean and into the frozen domain of snow and ice, he clutched his boa a little tighter as the wind, full of needles, beat down on his exposed skin. 'You came here to die, didn't you..?' he thought. Flying over some ice packs, he found himself soaring over a glacier that seemed to stretch for miles. And then he caught it; a scent of something familiar carried on the wind. It was definitely Naraku, no mistake. He quickened his pace and relentlessly scanned the never-ending white terrain for something that would lead him to his mate. 'Just hold on...I've almost found you..'

* * *

His chest rose and fell slowly, getting weaker with every other breath as the wind bore down upon him, whipping through his entire being as he was helpless to stop it. His eyelids became heavy as his breathing slowed. He wanted it to end...so he could sleep eternally with the thought that Sesshoumaru would not die by his hand once more. The phantom was waiting....waiting for that moment when unconsciousness would overtake his weaker half and he could control the body once more. Naraku swayed back and forth, trying to steady himself. He looked up into the sky, heaving another heavy breath before falling back into the snow, his eyelids barely open.

* * *

Finally passing over the glacier, Sesshoumaru could smell Naraku's scent was stronger. He pierced the drifting snow with his keen demon eyes for signs of life as he slowly descended.  
  
Sesshoumaru silently landed in snow that came up to his waist. Disgruntled, he raised himself up until he was standing on top of the packs of snow, using his demon wiles to keep from sinking. Scanning the ground, he soon found what he was looking for: footprints. Urged on by knowledge that Naraku was close by, he briskly sprinted over the drifts before the footsteps were buried over.

* * *

His eyes slipped in and out of focus.  
  
"Just give up....you can't take the pain of staying awake, you pathetic excuse for a demon." The phantom said viciously.  
  
But Naraku wasn't listening to the worthless comments. He had heard someone call his name... 'Am I hearing things...?' he thought to himself. He listened for a second and heard nothing.  
  
"You think anyone would find you here? Ha!...You're half buried in the snow...Do everyone a favor, and just die..." He hissed quietly.  
  
Naraku winced at the sound...still listening, a faint hope preventing his eyes from closing and consciousness leaving him.

* * *

"Naraku!" The youkai yelled again. He walked a few more steps and called out again and a gust of wind seemed to tear his voice from his throat. It was so cold here; but Naraku had been here at least two days...he could most certainly stand it a while longer. He called out again as he continued towards the scent.

* * *

He heard it again, someone calling his name just before the flicker of hope had extinguished into nothingness. He wanted to speak, to shout he was there, but he had two enemies preventing him from speech: the icy wind that stole his breath and the phantom whom prevented the words from leaving his throat. He heard the crunching of snow. 'Footsteps...' he thought. They sounded so good to his ears. Desperately, he wanted to remove himself from the snow, to move--anything! But he couldn't; his body had grown too weak.

* * *

He called out once again, "Naraku!!!" And just when he was about to start searching in a difference direction, he spotted it. There! It looked like hair...and it was blowing in the wind haphazardly behind a snow drift. He walked over around the mound of snow and ice and there he was....Icy tears stung his eyes as he looked down upon his love, frozen and half-buried in the shifting snow. Sesshoumaru knelt down on one knee and put a hand on the cold shoulder as the other gently tilted the youkai's face to him. "Naraku..." he tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over as his joy escalated when Naraku's eyes fluttered, taking in a shallow breath.  
  
Naraku's eyes wouldn't focus...he barely made out someone's silhouette; silver hair was windblown into their face, hiding their features. But he knew who it was! "Sesshou..." but he couldn't finish anymore, as his head dropped and he fell into unconsciousness.  
  
The inu youkai watched, stunned, as Naraku's head sank back against the drift. "NO!" Tears streaming down his face, he reached out and pulled Naraku close to him, praying that the warmth of his body was enough to bring him back, and so he hugged the cold, stiff body even tighter. But even as he held his mate, the cold had gotten to him; he couldn't feel the slight movement of the kumo's arm against his frozen clothes.  
  
A devilish grin, unseen by Sesshoumaru, spread across Naraku's face. In his hand a dagger appeared...Slowly, the kumo moved his arm, blade pointing down towards the inu's back. "How long I waited for this day..." He whispered quietly, his grin widening as Sesshoumaru raised his head and looked at him in disbelief, tears still staining his face. The kumo opened his eyes and rammed the dagger into Sesshoumaru's back, all the way until the hilt prevented it from going any further. He chuckled slightly when he heard the cry of pain and the grimace that followed, taking sheer delight in each moment. He sat up, whispering in Sesshoumaru's ear, "..when I could see the look of anguish on your face once more....as you die by the hands of your former love." Malicious laughter pierced the silence of the frozen wasteland.  
  
Releasing his arms from the youkai's laughing form, Sesshoumaru gasped in pain and tried in vain to reach around and pull the dagger from his back. He could feel the tainted blade's poison as it began to seep into his body.  
  
Naraku stood on the snow in front of Sesshoumaru, eyes glinting in pure sadistic delight. "How does it feel, inu....being back-stabbed by someone you love?" That arrogant look only became more defined as Sesshoumaru glared at him. "Aw....can't reach?" He sneered viciously and vanished, reappearing behind Sesshoumaru. "Here..." his hand grasped the hilt, "Let me help you," he wrenched the blade sideways, "With that..." He pulled it out as slowly as he had when he'd removed the Tokijin from Sesshoumaru's stomach. Naraku grabbed a fistful of the inu's hair and pulled his head back so he could taunt him further. "And yes...this is what you get for caring about your mate..." He chuckled evilly before kicking the inu in the back, right on his stab wound. His chuckle turned into that same taunting laugh as Sesshoumaru went face first into the snow, blood splattering about.  
  
As his wound went ablaze with new fire, Sesshoumaru didn't even notice how the fozen snow stung into the exposed skin on his face. Gasping, he attempted to get up, but a swift kick to his ribs sent him sprawling on his back, a grunt of pain and desperation escaping from his throat. He again tried to get up, but the Phantom walked over to where he lay and stomped a foot upon his chest, knocking the air out of him.  
  
He ground his foot down, taking immense joy in the pained look. "You are so pathetic.... What's wrong?....Afraid to hurt your mate?" He raised his dagger high, moving to bring it down hard into Sesshoumaru's chest to pierce his heart.  
  
He ground his foot down, taking immense joy in the pained look. "You are so pathetic...." He stood up, still keeping his foot firmly planted on his chest. "What's wrong....?" He raised his dagger high, "Afraid to hurt your mate?" He sneered, "Your heart is mine for the crushing!" He brought the blade down. Images of the inu's face contorted in pain, of his screams when he cut out his heart, and of his last words as he lay dying, bleeding in the pure white snow, drove the phantom harder. But the blade stopped not even a centimeter away from the inu's clothing. "What?!" The phantom hissed. Naraku had broken free to stop the phantom-- temporarily. "You will not deny me this pleasure!!" The phantom shouted as he tried to move and complete the act.  
  
Seeing the phantom momentarily distracted, Sesshoumaru used this opportunity to kick Naraku hard in the stomach, launching him several feet away into the waist-high snow. Grunting, he shakily reached for the Tensaiga and drew it before the snow had finished settling around the spot where Naraku had fallen. Quickly using the sword's power, he healed the wound on his back and managed to drive out nearly all of the poison before he felt the power shaking the ground underneath him. He quickly sheathed the Tensaiga and braced himself for whatever was about to erupt from the snowy depths.  
  
Naraku emerged with a loud roar of anger. Not only had his pride been dealt a blow, but he was denied his sadistic pleasure. His eyes glowed red with his fury as his anger was nearly tangible. He pulled his arm back and threw it forward, it turned into one of his branch like appendages and tightly wrapped itself around Sesshoumaru's body, squeezing the life out of him as the phantom pulled him high into the air.  
  
Stranded up in the cold, biting air with the appendages crushing him, the inu didn't know what to do. The last time this had happened, he'd been able to use his demon form to his advantage and break free. But now....he heard the Phantom curse at him from below:  
  
"Prepared to die, you filthy inu-youkai?" He said viciously as his grip increased. The phantom narrowed his glowing blood red eyes, a grin spreading over his features.  
  
Sesshoumaru cringed, "No..." Desperately, he thought of a way to get a rise out of Naraku. Amber eyes narrowed on the kumo's face and saw the marks he had inflicted upon him, declaring his ownership. He smirked in spite of his pain. "Release me, Kumo."  
  
Naraku openly scoffed, "Release you? HA! Why would I do that? You are in no position to command me to do anything. You are merely a bug in my eyes...one that needs a good crushing." His grip increased marginally.  
  
His smirk increased, showing his white fangs, as he forced a haughty laugh, "Because I own you, Kumo!" He narrowed his eyes slightly as he continued to taunt, "Can you not feel the marks that I carved into your flesh?" His smirk remained, though the inu glared at the Phantom: Naraku is mine...and no other's..'  
  
"No one owns me!!!' With that, he moved the branch-like appendage backwards and then threw Sesshoumaru into the snow with all of his might. He growled, knowing Sesshoumaru was not dead from the fall; but then, he heard the loud snapping of ice and a splash of icy water appeared..."He doesn't stand a chance in there," Naraku chuckled bitterly.  
  
The inu youkai's body hit the frozen ice with a force that broke through its three-foot thickness, which made his back feel like it'd been broken in three different places. But he had no time to gasp in pain as he immediately came in contact with the sub-zero waters of the arctic. His body felt like it was being stabbed with thousands of knives all at once. And with his body temporarily immobile from shock, he began to sink into its dark, icy depths...but something sparked his mind—and body—into motion: the fact that his love was still trapped somewhere inside that sadistic creature's mind. He forced his frozen limbs to swim upwards towards the wavering light of the surface. He was nearly there...  
  
Then he felt it...the power signature of the inu-youkai. Naraku narrowed his eyes. He strode to the break in the ice, glaring down into it, able to see the blurred white figure steadily moving. "You just don't know when to quit." he growled and sent his branch appendages, now sharp as needles, down into the icy water, intent on stabbing him. He smirked, waiting for his branches to connect with the inu's torso and cloud the water with his blood.  
  
Just as he was only a few feet away from the water's surface, he saw a shadow darken a corner of the hole. Suddenly, there came a blur of movement and something grazed his shoulder, drawing blood from the deep gash. He barely had time to dodge another attack of deadly sharp appendages--courtesy of the Phantom--and swim away from the Kumo's line of sight, clutching his shoulder as it continued to bleed his dark youkai blood into the water.  
  
The Phantom growled, withdrawing his appendages, and stepped closer to the edge. His eyes narrowed as he searched the icy water. "Wretched inu...where did you go?!" His growl became lower and more dangerous in tone. "You can't stay down there forever..." And then he saw the dark red cloud in the water and a devilish grin crossed his lips. "Gotcha..." He chuckled lowly.  
  
'That's what you think.'  
  
Naraku's violet eyes widened as he heard the loud snap and then the shatter of ice somewhere behind him. He whirled around and saw the inu, his amber eyes narrowed dangerously. "No...How!?" Sesshoumaru looked like a ghost, his skin nearly matching the blazing white snow around him. His shoulder had a bloody gash from the wound he had dealt to the inu. The golden orbs flashed with hatred as a smirk crossed his lips. A sharp gasp of disbelief escaped the kumo's lips as a hand as cold as ice wrapped tightly around his throat.  
  
"You will regret that you ever stole something as precious to me as my mate.." he said with deadly calm, "Now you shall feel how cold your heart has become!" And with that, he pushed off the ground, putting his weight behind the movement as he slammed Naraku into the frozen ground. He heard the Kumo's head smack against the ice as cracks spread like a jagged spider web from the point of impact. Still gripping the Phantom's throat with his left hand, he unsheathed the Tokijin with his right and raised it over Naraku's heart. The cold, calculating look in the amethyst eyes was enough to drive him as he made to bring his blade down on the youkai's chest.  
  
The phantom's eyes widened in surprise, both hands flew to the one wrapped tightly around his throat. 'No... He's not supposed to do this!' The phantom had anticipated some retaliation, but never for Sesshoumaru to take such drastic measures! He tried to pull the hand away once more with no result. Now he panicked and retreated to the subconscious, forcing Naraku out so he would feel the blow...so he would witness his love stabbing him in the heart. Naraku's eyes widened in fear, his grasp on the inu's wrist weakened and his hands shook. "Koi..." he whispered.  
  
But it was too late....The blade came down hard and tore through the youkai's chest in an awful sound of bones splitting and breaking, and the agonizing scream of his lover filling the air and tearing away at his soul was more than he could bear. He heard himself cry out as he tried to deny what had just happened. Tears streamed down his face as he looked upon his mate; the sight of his sword protruding through Naraku's ribcage as the youkai began choking and coughing up blood made his heart break into a thousand pieces. He quickly jerked his hand away from Naraku's neck and more blood ran down the side of his mouth. Sobbing like a child, Sesshoumaru's hand left the hilt of the sword and he reached up with his bloodied, shaking hands and cupped his lover's face reverently. "Oh, God, Naraku, I'm so sorry.." He cried uncontrollably and his body began to tremble. "..I...I didn't mean to...I couldn't stop it, I..." He finally looked into his mate's eyes, "..I love you..."  
  
Naraku smiled meekly, each breath harder to draw in and release than the last. His hand trembled as he slowly brought it up, "I...it's ok..." His chest spasmed and more blood trickled from his lips as he swallowed it gingerly. "Boku wa kimiwo eien ni...aishiteru.." The smile faded and his hand dropped in mid reach as the last breath escaped his chest.  
  
"NOOOOOOO!!!" he screamed at the heavens. Tears still running down his cheeks, he reached down and grasped the Tokijin's hilt and carefully drew it out of the stilled chest of his slain mate. 'I knew it would be hard..' he thought to himself, '..I knew that it would hurt the both of us...But..I didn't think it would hurt this much...' Yes, he thought bitterly, he had planned this. He knew he wouldn't have been able to destroy the Phantom without destroying its host as well. But he hadn't planned for it to happen this way...hadn't anticipated the Phantom would switch places with Naraku at the last just to hurt them both...His nose was running and he sniffed as he glanced down at the blade coated in his lover's blood. He despised it. Closing his eyes, he turned away and threw it far from him, wishing to be rid of the vile weapon. He heard a splash, but paid it no heed as he drew Naraku into his arms and cradled his bloody and broken form.  
  
After a couple minutes, he gently laid Naraku back onto the frozen ground and drew the Tensaiga from its sheath. Positioning himself over the body, he wiped the tears from his face and readied the blade over the gaping hole in Naraku's chest. Swallowing hard, he channeled his power into the sword and plunged it into the lifeless heart of his love. A brilliant blue-black light flashed, enveloping them in a kind of twilight, and then there came a sudden flash of crimson and Tensaiga's blade was deflected away as if it had been struck. Confused, he lowered the sword and regarded Naraku's still unmoving body. Then, he saw as the Kumo's lungs filled with air and he could once again hear the steady heartbeat that was music to his ears. Sesshoumaru immediately forgot about the crimson energy he'd witnessed just moments before, and he dropped the Tensaiga on the ground next to him and supported Naraku's head when he noticed the Kumo begin to stir. "Naraku..?"  
  
Life flooded his body once more, the cold sensation almost burned. He shuddered involuntarily the cold tore through his clothing and seeped into his flesh. He opened his eyes, blinding white his only sight for a second before he could focus. Someone was holding him..."Sesshoumaru...?" He whispered. Memories of something bad tried to surface; he caught glimpses of it, a blade crashing down as he trembled, tears from his love falling upon his skin. "What happened...? I'm so confused." He could taste blood in his mouth and on his lips.  
  
Sesshoumaru blinked back tears that threatened to come again and he brushed Naraku's auburn hair from his face as he tried to smile without looking sad and happy at the same time. "The Phantom...we fought...and...I knew I couldn't kill him until I destroyed his host..." He pulled him into a hug, just enjoying the feeling of 'life' within his mate once more. Leaning back just enough to look into the youkai's eyes, he forced a smile, "But now he's dead and you're free of his cruel shadow that plagued your sleep." Then why didn't he feel any better? He looked back down at Naraku who was regarding him with a look of dread upon his face.  
  
The phantom wasn't gone. A sharp laughter rang in Naraku's ears and pain flooded his chest before disappearing. "No..." The kumo searched for his love's hands and gripped it upon finding one. "He's not dead...." He winced and shuddered as the voice whispered cruel things into his ear:  
  
'He rammed his blade through your heart without a second thought...He didn't even care...' the voice hissed.  
  
The ache was back, the most pain centered right at the location of the jewel..."Get it out..." Naraku whispered, pain seeping through even the weakest of his words.  
  
The inu's eyes widened in shock and horror. 'He's...still alive? But how could that be?!' Naraku's grip on his hand increased and he was pulled back to the present as the Kumo again repeated "Get it out.." and put a shaking hand to his chest. "How do I remove it?" He frantically searched over Naraku's tense body.  
  
"Your sword...Tokijin..." He whispered, wincing and crying out sharply. "Get it out!" He cried, the pain becoming unbearable while the phantom tried seducing him with peace, painless and silent peace.  
  
He looked around him in vain and then remembered..."Damnit, I threw it away!" He clenched his youkai's hand and then made to get up, "Just stay here; I'll go find it!"  
  
"No.." Naraku pulled on his hand, "Not enough time..." He gripped the inu's hand once more. He closed his eyes, his head turn to the side, and smiled. "Fools..." he whispered, "So willing..." His head turned back toward Sesshoumaru, "..To fall for the same trick twice!" His eyes flew open, vicious violet eyes glittered with malicious intent as his free hand turned into a branch and pierced the inu's stomach.  
  
Sesshoumaru moaned in pain and doubled over, his head now braced against Naraku's chest. He sensed the Phantom lower its head to his ear and then it whispered: "And to think...I could not have returned without your help....Thanks for helping me destroy Naraku once and for all...." The inu could feel his hand still clasped that of his mate--but it wasn't his mate anymore--and he dug his claws into it, secreting some venom as he did, and then pushed the Phantom away from him as he staggered a few paces back, a hand held to his abdomen.  
  
The phantom rose, laughing maniacally. He was more powerful this time; his strength completely renewed. The cold didn't phase him, nor did Sesshoumaru's feeble attempt at poisoning him. "Aww...I was aiming for your heart... but apparently my aim isn't as good as yours." The phantom sneered.  
  
Sesshoumaru's pupils narrowed to slits as he glared at the imposter before him. "Silence! You would do good to control your tongue, Kumo, before I rip it from your mouth."  
  
"Still thirsty for blood? I thought you'd be content with spilling Naraku's." A devilish grin spread across his face.  
  
"Shut..up." He took a step forward.  
  
"How badly did it make your chest ache? Hearing the last word Naraku spoke before you killed him in cold blood?" He also took a few steps slowly towards the inu. "Hmm....koi? Wasn't it?"  
  
Sesshoumaru stood there, rigid with anger, and then it finally sunk in. The Phantom was just trying to get a rise out of him; in all actuality, the Phantom could probably care less what Naraku and he felt about each other. It's only desire being to rid Naraku's soul from his body so it could take over. An insidious gleam shone in Sesshoumaru's eyes as the corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk.  
  
Naraku raised an eyebrow. "Something funny? I see no purpose for you to be smirking." He folded his arms, waiting for a response.  
  
"I think I've finally figured it out, Kumo." he took another small step.  
  
"Figured out what, you sorry excuse for a youkai?"  
  
"You speak so much of Naraku and I...One might think you were jealous..?" He risked a few more steps.  
  
The kumo's eyes narrowed dangerously, daring him to come any closer. "I? Envy you and Naraku?" He smirked. "Please...You both are nothing but two thorns in my side." He snarled at Sesshoumaru.  
  
"You know...I think you're not being honest with yourself, Phantom." He cocked his head to one side as he noted the Kumo's eye slightly twitch. 'Bingo.'  
  
"Honest? You didn't even tell Naraku the truth about what happened to him, when in reality, you just couldn't—!" Suddenly the inu-youkai was standing right in front of him, half smirking, half smiling. Naraku clenched his fist, raising it and pulling back with the full intention to strike the Inu across the face, but Sesshoumaru caught his arm in mid-motion and leaned closer.  
  
"Tell me, Kumo..." he said as he lightly brushed the back of his hand across the youkai's face, "Can you honestly tell me that whenever you see Naraku and I together," Sesshoumaru leaned in even closer, "That you don't, in the least bit, crave my touch as well?" He brushed his lips over Naraku's as he said the last few words, lining up his fingers along the Kumo's hairline, barely even touching the skin, but enough to cause tiny physical sensations race underneath the mask.  
  
The Phantom tried to ignore the feeling of his touch. It sent chills down his spine when even the artic winds could not. He closed his eyes to regain his bearings. He forced a growl, "Do not touch me inu..." He opened his eyes and shot the inu-youkai a dangerous glare.  
  
"Do not touch you?" Sesshoumaru mimicked the Kumo's sarcastic tone perfectly, "Now why would I do a thing like that?" The fingers that had rested on the youkai's hairline slid over Naraku's scalp and into his hair as the inu pressed his body against the imposter.  
  
The phantom's eyes widened a little as Sesshoumaru became closer. His train of thought was quickly derailed. He could feel his body reacting, a soft sigh wanted so badly to escape from his lips, but he kept it in. He could feel himself leaning into the touch. 'This isn't right.' His inner voice growled. 'What's his motive?!' The phantoms violet eyes narrowed as he skimmed over the inu's thoughts to see if he was right about the youkai's intentions. Then he grinned devilishly. "I hope you're not thinking this will drag Naraku back out, Inu." He chuckled, "Besides...what good will it do even if he did resurface? You don't have a weapon to ram through his chest this time."  
  
Sesshoumaru glared at him but then quickly covered it up by rolling his eyes and bringing the corner of his mouth up in a smirk, "You think it was that weaker Naraku whom I spent that first night with?" He despised himself for resorting to such low levels, but he acted out the lie some more, "Why would I, a full-blooded youkai prince, want that lesser half- demon for a mate when I can have the pure bred form right in front of me?" He then jammed his mouth onto the Phantom's and pressed his body against it further.  
  
Naraku's body utterly bent to Sesshoumaru's will. It didn't feel like he was standing in the bitter cold, but rather in a desert. The phantom hated and loved every minute of the inu's attention. 'No...' He forced a low growl and jerked his head to the side, away from the youkai's lips. His breathing became heavy as he tried to regain his composure. It was a losing battle, what with Sesshoumaru's body crushed against his.  
  
The inu-youkai smirked a little victory smirk as he removed his hand from the youkai's hair and used it to turn Naraku's face back to his as he once again covered his mouth with his. He felt uneasily relieved when he felt the Phantom's body lean into his as it deepened the kiss by forcing its tongue into his mouth. Just a little longer, he thought to himself. When he felt that he had the Phantom's undivided attention, Sesshoumaru abruptly jerked back and slashed at the Kumo's face, dragging his poisoned claws across the imposter's eyes. The Phantom screamed in pain as his hands flew to his smoldering face and he staggered back and fell into the snow, blood streaming down his face from the venom-filled wounds. Sesshoumaru immediately turned around and dove into the break in the ice where he had heard the Tokijin fall through. As he swam to the bottom, he sincerely hoped that his assault to the imposter's vision would buy him enough time to reach his sword. He knew that he would not be able to cut the Jewel from Naraku's chest with only his bare hands; the Tokijin, forged from a part of Naraku, was his only hope to removing the accursed gem from his love's body. He saw a glint of metal in the looming darkness before him; he began to swim harder.  
  
A loud howl of pain filled the ensuing silence. Sesshoumaru had deadly aim, and now he couldn't see. The howl of pain turned into a roar of anger. He felt a hot, thick liquid slide down his cheeks. The scent told him it was blood...his own. How could he fight an enemy he couldn't see?! His face seared with pain as his body tried to heal the wound, but Sesshoumaru's venom prevented any form of mending as it continued to rot the surrounding flesh. He snarled, baring his fangs. The splash he had heard and the faint scent of the inu's power were the only indications of where he had gone. He sent his branches down, breaking the thick ice by his feet. They shot through the darkness as Naraku aimed towards the source of the faint energy.  
  
He was almost within an arm's length of Tokijin. Faintly, he heard the muted sound of breaking ice behind him, but he didn't turn around. There! He had it! With un-human speed he turned around and swung his sword, cutting down the limbs that had been but a couple feet away, and they hovered in the water for awhile before dissolving into a dark matter that thinned out in the current until it was gone. Then, using the ground as a launch pad, Sesshoumaru propelled himself through the water with great speed and he soon broke through the surface, doing a back flip and gracefully landing in the snow on both feet. He took one look at the Phantom's wounded--and still bleeding--face and he narrowed his eyes in satisfaction. "You'll have to be quicker than that if you want to spar with me, Kumo."  
  
The Phantom smothered a growl and recalled his limbs. His head turned to Sesshoumaru's location and a devilish grin came across his face. "Won't Naraku be delighted when he discovers you stole his eyesight from him?" He crouched low and charged towards the direction of Sesshoumaru's voice with inhuman speed.  
  
The youkai leaped high into the air just before the Phantom reached the spot where he once stood. He made his landing in the exact spot Naraku had occupied not a second before as he called out to the imposter, "Still not fast enough, Kumo. And as for Naraku's eyesight, I will return what I have taken from him...but not before purging the disease from him that is you." He raised the Tokijin and began to channel his energy into it, and this time--now that Naraku's blood had been mixed with his own--the sword did not repel him. The corners of his mouth rose.  
  
The phantom did not turn to face his enemy; rather, he darted off to the left behind a large snowdrift. The snapping of ice could be heard as he sent his branches down into the icy depths in an attempt to attack Sesshoumaru from below. The branches were just a few inches off target and came up right behind Sesshoumaru.  
  
"Heh." He side-stepped the assault and used one hand to severe the limbs. "What's the matter, Kumo? Your senses just not 'cutting it' anymore?" He made a side-long look and said in a sarcastic tone, "I sure hope you're not losing your touch!" And as he finished the last word, he jumped into the air and swung his mighty sword, releasing it's power onto the land itself, causing the ice caps to split and break away. "Watch your step!" he called out to the youkai below, the ice and water still crashing around him.  
  
The phantom regained his footing. Growling, he tried desperately to think of a plan. No doubt Sesshoumaru had shattered the ice surrounding him.... What did he have in his advantage? He chuckled evilly, a single word floating into mind: 'Naraku...' And with that, he dove into the cold water, not planning to resurface anytime soon. He was going to lure Sesshoumaru into the dark depths with him.  
  
'What is he up to? Diving into the water like that..' Sesshoumaru thought. Landing on an iceberg, he braced himself and waited for whatever the Kumo had up his sleeve this time.....He found himself waiting for quite some time and still nothing. 'What could he be doing down there?' he thought. 'Maybe, he's trying to get away..or at the very least trying to put distance between them for an attack..' Indeed, it was difficult to say where the Kumo was; the thick ice caps and freezing water made it hard for him to smell or sense where the imposter had gone. 'Well, I'm not going to wait for him,' and with that, he dove into the cold water to search for his prey.  
  
The phantom lurked in the dark depths, searching for the energy signal the belonged to the inu. At last! he felt it as it came slowly nearer and nearer. Once he was sure Sesshoumaru was as blind as he was, he shot his branched up, aiming for the core of the energy signature.  
  
The inu stopped abruptly in the water, his instincts warning him of something coming. And sure enough, no sooner had he ceased, something shot past in front of him, grazing his forehead. If he'd continued swimming, he would have surely been done for, the inu thought. However, the cut on his head was deep, and he could already feel the familiar ache of Naraku's poison as it came in contact with his blood. 'Damnit,' he thought, 'I should have seen this coming.' He cursed himself for being such a fool.  
  
The branches doubled back, one just missing by a centimeter, the other connecting, reopening the wound on the inu's shoulder. Naraku's lips twisted upward in a devilish grin when he felt his blow connect. 'Oh don't blame yourself...Dogs aren't know for their intelligence.'  
  
Sesshoumaru glared in the dark at the Phantom's insult it had voiced inside his head. Ignoring the pain in his head and shoulder, the inu shot poison vapor into the water in the direction the branches had come from. But with it being so dark and the graze to his forehead, he couldn't tell if he'd hit him or not. An eerie laughter resounded in his head and he turned about in the dark, trying to locate a source.  
  
'How long can you last, inu? Before your oxygen supply runs out?' The branches wrapped around Sesshoumaru's torso and pulled him down further, not quite to the location of the phantom, but near. 'Care to find out?'  
  
The inu unconsciously released precious air bubbles as the Phantom increased its grip on his upper body and dragged him down deeper into the black unknown. He struggled in its grip, but with his loss of blood and the poison consuming him, his efforts were futile; and indeed, he was growing weaker from the lack of oxygen. 'D-Damn you...' he seethed.  
  
'Aw...did I touch a rough spot? Does the inu need a hug?' The tentacle- like branches tightened. 'Just welcome your death...and the fact that not a damn soul in the world can stop me now.' Malicious laughter rang through Sesshoumaru's head so loud, it was like the phantom himself was laughing in his ear. Sesshoumaru's grip on the sword went lax, his muscles giving up because of the lack of oxygen to drive them. The sword sank down and Naraku withdrew a limb and grabbed the sword. Now he could be rid of the freezing water and satisfy the burning for air in his lungs. He pulled Sesshoumaru's limp body and bolted to the top. He wanted the inu alive and well when he delivered the blow that would end it all. The phantom broke through solid ice, indicating he had swerved and was no longer near the broken platforms of ice. He threw the inu down on the ground in front of him, taking in greedy breaths of air.  
  
Sesshoumaru's body was like a rag doll; first there was the blow to his head which had caused him to become dizzy and disoriented, then the poison from the cuts he'd received had made him grow weaker, and if the lack of oxygen wasn't enough, the Phantom had used his body to absorb the impact of breaking through the ice. His body ached all over. He couldn't move a single muscle; all he was able to do was breathe in shuddering breaths of chilled air. Sesshoumaru barely registered the sound of crunching snow as the imposter made his way towards him.  
  
"To know that such a proud creature like you has been reduced to nothing but a play toy makes me happy." The phantom chuckled. "So good to know my original plans for you have been carried out." He stepped nearer and bent down when he was sure he was close to the inu's head. His hand reached out, touching the inu's face. How badly he wanted to see the look of pain upon it. His fingernails raked down the side of Sesshoumaru's face. "Cry for me..."  
  
The inu-youkai was pulled back into reality as the pain from Naraku's venom- tipped nails droned out any other thoughts or sensations--not that he could feel any of his limbs anyway; the combined cold, sub arctic temperature mixed with the freezing water had robbed him of any physical feeling other than pain. He grit his teeth and tried to keep from grimacing.  
  
He chuckled, partially glad that there was still something left in Sesshoumaru for him to break He continued to rake his claws down the inu's throat and then to his chest, making sure to press extra hard. He leaned dangerously close to the inu. "Beg me to stop..." He had shredded the front of the inu's clothes. He wrenched his hand to the side, claws digging painfully deeper. Then, a delightful sound reached his ears: Sesshoumaru had tried to speak. "What was that?" he cooed softly, wrenching his hand back to its former position. The scent of blood, a delightful smell to him--especially on the crisp icy air.  
  
Sesshoumaru coughed to clear his throat, and then looked up defiantly at his mate's imposter, "I was just admiring your pretty face. Blood red is definitely your color; it brings out the color in your eyes..."  
  
Naraku growled, pulling his bloody hand free and bringing his fist down hard on the inu's stomach, right on his wounds. "Oh how I love stealing your breath away." He said coldly, knowing he'd knocked the wind out of Sesshoumaru.  
  
Sesshoumaru wheezed and doubled over, holding his aching lungs as he drew in painful breaths. He felt a hand close around the hair near his scalp and he was suddenly jerked to his feet.  
  
Now, Naraku had every intention of playing Sesshoumaru, just as the inu had played him before stealing his eyesight. The fist in his hair released, his fingers dancing deftly across his scalp. "Tell me...Does your skin still ache for my touch...?" He whispered, nipping at his earlobe. He chuckled malevolently.  
  
Sesshoumaru cringed at the Phantom's touch. He turned his head and spat in its face, "Fuck you."  
  
He wiped away at his face, only managing to smear more blood across it. His hand caught Sesshoumaru's chin, he leaned forward, their lips brushing, "I believe you've already had the pleasure."  
  
His eyes widened for only a split second, and then he brought his hands up to the Kumo's chest and shoved him away. The inu coughed as the sudden movement had disturbed his wounds, but he managed to keep his ground, glaring at the spider all the while.  
  
He knew Sesshoumaru was glaring, he could feel it, and his arrogant smirk only grew. He raised the blade, aiming for where the scent of blood was thickest and then moving upwards until he felt the blade hit Sesshoumaru's chin. He chuckled, pressing the pointed tip of the sword to his flesh. "Watch it, inu...Or I'll cut you down as easily as your brother." He chuckled. "I'd hate for such a stunning play toy like you to go to waste."  
  
He hit the sword away from his face with a clawed hand, then using his energy whip, he struck the Kumo's arm which still held the Tokijin which obliterated it and knocked the sword to the ground a few paces away. As he heard the youkai's scream, he wasted no time in running towards where his precious sword had fallen.  
  
"Not so fast, inu!" he roared as pain shot through his arm as it began to regenerate. He sniffled for the blood, catching the strong scent of the youkai's blood--no problem. His branches shot out, catching the inu's ankle and he pulled back sharply as he bolted forward. "I won't lose this battle to a mutt like you!" He roared, diving for the blade. He called the branch back and gripped the hilt of the blade. His laughter filled the area as he clutched his prize tightly in his fist. "Now my words shall be fulfilled... and you will die by my hands!" He shouted as he turned and charged at the inu, raising the blade above his head.  
  
His charge had turned into a slow gait... then into a stagger. His chest seemed to explode with pain as he neared the inu. The phantom's mind couldn't compute it. One of Sesshoumaru's hands was locked tightly around his raised wrist....The inu's other hand no doubt was wrapped around the sword hilt protruding from the kumo's chest. His body slumped against the inu's before Sesshoumaru took a step back. He dropped to his knees. "No... how...?"  
  
The inu-youkai's body shook all over from the cold, fatigue, pain...everything... And it threatened to engulf him entirely as his knees buckled and he fell to the ground in front of Naraku.  
  
Youkai blood stained the snow all around them. Now that the wind had died down, the stench of spilled demon blood was so strong it blotted out any other smell. Sesshoumaru felt dizzy and tried not to gag as his gorge rose with every intake of air. He looked up to the Kumo in front of him who still had the Tokijin embedded in his chest, unable to move. Dark liquid was running down his torso like a river of blood, and Sesshoumaru could hear the Phantom's breathing turn into a painful gurgling sound that made the inu avert his gaze to the reddened snow beneath him. Groaning, he forced himself to sit up, and he somehow managed to crawl over to where Naraku knelt without collapsing.  
  
Swallowing hard, he put a hand on the Kumo's shoulder as a support hold and he reached up to the hilt of the sword. He saw the Phantom's head follow the movement of his arm as if it were able to see it. His hand closed around the bloody hilt, and with great effort, he steadily drew the sword from the youkai's chest, and more blood flowed from the gaping cavity and spilled onto the already stained snow. Sesshoumaru let out a sigh of fatigue, as he lowered Tokijin and used it as a crutch to lean on. And as he reached forward with a bloody hand to take out the shining jewel that was now visible within the broken rib cage, Sesshoumaru saw out of the corner of his eye, a smirk begin to appear on the Kumo's blood-soaked lips.  
  
His energy was draining fast, the cold wind stealing it right from his body. "If I go down..." He mustered up all he could and grabbed the blade quickly, ramming it into the inu's stomach. "You're coming with me..." He whispered as he wrenched the blade with a turn of his wrist and then fell into the snow.  
  
No scream came from his mouth when Naraku impaled him once again with his own sword, nor did he make a sound when the Kumo fell back onto the snow and he could feel his own lungs began to fill with blood. Instead, a single tear trickled down his cheek as all the memories--from his childhood up until this moment--flashed inside his head. Looking up through tear and blood-soaked bangs, Sesshoumaru called out to his beloved, "..Na..Naraku.." His only answer was the Kumo's muffled cough as he gagged on his own blood that was pouring out the sides of his mouth. Sesshoumaru tried to move towards him, but the Tokijin was still embedded in stomach. Holding his breath, he grit his teeth and yanked the sword out, dropping it on the crimson snow in front of him. Gasping as the pain from his wounds finally began to catch up with him, he shakily reached a hand up to the hilt of Tensaiga. With great effort, he grunted and pulled the sword from its sheath, immediately leaning on it for support. He blinked to try and focus his mind on drawing forth the sword's power. After a couple of tries, the blade finally glowed a blue-black and his wounds immediately began to heal; the process was complete within a matter of minutes. Air filled his pain- free lungs and he gratefully stood up on legs that did not buckle beneath him. Turning his head into the wind, he glanced down at Naraku's mutilated body, and this time his ears confirmed no heart beat within the broken chest... However, the Kumo still lived—somehow. He walked over to the youkai's struggling form, still carrying his Tensaiga.  
  
The only thing keeping the kumo alive glowed faintly in his impaled and broken body. He couldn't see it, but he could feel the warmth of it as it tried to rectify what damage the inu had done. He faintly sensed the inu near him. The foot steps crunching the snow spoke not of hope...but of foreboding. "I refuse..." he whispered, blood welling in his throat and a lack of oxygen made it hard for him to manage anymore, "to go down like this..." But there was no way he could change his fate.  
  
The inu-youkai could barely discern the words from the gurgling and sputtering sounds that came from the Kumo's throat as more blood flowed from his mouth. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the dying creature before him; he despised it with every ounce of his being for what it had done to both him and his mate. Leaning down over its grotesque body, he reached his hand into its chest cavity and clutched the pulsing Shikon no Tama. As he began to draw it out, he felt a bloody hand close tightly around his arm. Eyes widened in surprise, he turned his head and looked at Naraku, who had somehow managed to raise his head and appeared to be staring straight at him.  
  
The kumo's head turned and he spat the blood filling his mouth into the snow. Naraku's head turned to face Sesshoumaru, the hand on his wrist never loosing the tight grip even in spite of him being near death. "Don't...don't take it from me..." he said as harshly as possible. His claws dug into Sesshoumaru's flesh. "I will cease to exist without it...." He swallowed down the blood threatening to fill his mouth once more... "I don't want to die..." he said in a voice barely above a whisper.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes furrowed in confusion; was it his Naraku talking to him? begging him not to take away the thing which had given him power and sustained his life for so long?... Or was it the Phantom of the Shikon no Tama which gripped his arm in savagely, trying in a desperate and last attempt to save itself from destruction?... He could no longer tell which being it was that now pleaded for its life; for Naraku's eyes, the only visible indication of which essence controlled the Kumo's body, had been maimed beyond sight and recognition. He hesitated, and the grip on his arm increased and the nails bore deeper into his flesh, deciding it for him. With lightning speed, Sesshoumaru jerked his hand that clasped the Shikon Jewel out of Naraku's chest and he heard a defiant scream of terror mixed with pain. And just as soon as his hand was out of the way, Sesshoumaru then moved the Tensaiga down and into the Kumo's chest before he'd even finished screaming. The sword began to glow with its dark aura, but as soon as the youkai's body looked to be only halfway healed, Sesshoumaru removed the sword from the now partially mended chest cavity. He waited for the youkai to open its now healed eyes and look at him, hoping with all his being that the eyes that looked back would be those of his mate.  
  
Icy air flooded the kumo's lungs; he both loved and loathed the feeling of it. He tried to move, to sit up, but half of his body felt like dead weight and a blinding pain shot through his chest. He grimaced slightly, almost too consumed in finding renewed energy to notice he was being watched carefully. Both eyes opened just a little, each catching quite a different sight.  
  
Sesshoumaru could see it; the split between the Kumo's conscious was so apparent now as two slightly different-cut amethyst eyes shone from beneath half-opened lids. He stuck the sword, Tokijin, into the frozen snow to his left, and then spoke:  
  
"Naraku," he caught himself upon hearing the harsh tone in his voice and he tried to soften it a little, "..Are you..." He stopped, not sure if he wanted to know the answer; he'd been deceived so many times... "Naraku, look at me...please." Trying to hold back the well of tears that had begun to form, he braced himself for the worst, claws at the ready... He just couldn't go through fighting the one he loved again... If it really was the Phantom who looked back, this time there would be no hesitation...He would end it here and now.  
  
The kumo's eyes opened wide. The dual view was unnerving, but... there was no malicious laughter ringing through his head...there was no voice whispering cruel words into his ear. His right eye viewed Sesshoumaru as an enemy...but the left... He felt a sharp pain slice through him once more, and his hand went to his chest. This time the pain came from outside... there was a hole... where the jewel should be. "No..." he whispered, desperate eyes turning to his love. "Sesshoumaru... I..."  
  
The eyes..... He hesitated; he knew what he had to do... Very slowly and deliberately, Sesshoumaru held out his clenched right hand in front of the Kumo as he spoke, "Naraku, I will be straight with you..." He opened his hand to reveal the bloodied Shikon no Tama, "In my right hand... I hold your obsession for the past half a century: The Jewel of Four Souls... The source for your full youkai power...." Then added quietly, "...And also, the reason behind your suffering..." He eyed the Kumo warily.  
  
There it was... what he needed to fill the emptiness in his chest! He stared at it as it glowed, charming him into a stupor. He reached out to touch it... to take it... His eyes didn't see the blood the jewel was soaked in... Only the treasure glowing seductively... begging him to take it back. But Sesshoumaru pulled it away. Naraku looked up at him with pleading eyes. The kumo moved to say something but stopped when he noticed a strange look in the inu's eyes.  
  
Sesshoumaru stared at Naraku with a fierce sincerity. He held out his left hand and unfurled his fingers to reveal nothing but the hand itself, which was splattered with both the Kumo's blood as well as his own. Sesshoumaru spoke in a clear and unemotional tone, "..And in my left hand... I offer you myself.." Naraku looked up from the jewel and met his gaze; he continued, "..I offer you my life, my love, and all that I am...And also, my promise to you that I will never forsake you..." He bit back the tears that stung his eyes and lifted his chin, determined, "..You must make a choice, Naraku... For I have made mine long ago...." A tear escaped and slid down his cheek.. "So tell me, Naraku.." he placed both hands in front of Naraku, "Which will you choose?"  
  
Naraku's eyes glossed over upon seeing the tear slide down Sesshoumaru's face. "I..." he closed his eyes. 'This shouldn't be this hard!' He shouted at himself mentally. He swallowed hard.... Time seemed to speed up and slow down all at once... he wanted the jewel... oh yes... but would he give up love for it...? A shaky hand rose of what seemed to be of its own accord. A pain shot through his chest, as if in warning of what he was about to do... but he disregarded the painful ache. He rested hand over one of Sesshoumaru's, sure about his decision. A small grin played upon his lips as he opened his eyes slowly.... The phantom and all of its traces had been eradicated... He was himself again. "Sesshoumaru..." He rose to his feet, interlacing his fingers with Sesshoumaru's. He held his left hand up, smiling, eyes shining.  
  
There were tears streaming down the Inu's face now. His love, his mate, stood before him, looking at him with eyes that were of the deepest purple as he raised their interlocked hands, smiling. For the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru was consumed by an emotion he recognized somewhere as....joy. Turning, he gingerly plucked Tensaiga from the ice and aligned the blade with the Kumo's chest; it glowed and he felt Naraku squeeze his hand as the sword completed fully restoring the youkai to perfect health. As soon as it was done, Sesshoumaru dropped the sword and pulled Naraku into a heart-warming embrace as he could no longer suppress his recent fears and the emotions that washed through his body. He buried his face in Naraku's shoulder and whispered, "..I'm so glad...it's finally over.."  
  
"No more pain..." he whispered. "It was horrible..." But now it didn't seem so bad... He was in the arms of someone who didn't want to hurt him... "I'm sorry..." Naraku had seen all the phantom had... a prisoner in his own mind, "For what I did..." The silver hair felt so good against his skin as he buried his face in it, "For what I couldn't stop...." he whispered.  
  
The inu held him tighter, needing the feeling of his mate safe in his arms. "Don't think of it, koi.." he sighed against him. He leaned back a little and looked in his mate's familiar amethyst orbs. "You're all I need," he said and then put his forehead to Naraku's, placing an affectionate kiss upon his lips as he closed his eyes to revel in the moment.  
  
"Koi..." He sighed happily, but whipping icy winds pulled him out of his happy moment. "Let's go home..." Naraku said softly, running his hands through the inu's hair.  
  
He shivered. "Home..." He looked at Naraku. Home was where his aijin, his mate... Sesshoumaru smiled. Home was where Naraku was. "Yes, let's go home." He made to leave, but the Kumo hesitated.  
  
Naraku smiled softly and kind of sadly as the embrace was deterred, but he still enjoyed the feel of the inu's hand resting on his back, their fingers once more intertwined.... 'Wait..' Naraku thought... he paused, looking at Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru... where's the jewel?"  
  
He immediately snapped to attention. "The jewel.." he thought for a second then, "I must have dropped it." They both looked down and there it was, the blood-encrusted Shikon no Tama, half buried in the snow at their feet. He glanced back up at Naraku before he bent down and picked it up. Holding it between the two of them, he stared at it, resenting it and yet curious how such a small thing could overpower one's own mind. As he regarded it, it began to glow, becoming warm in his hand. Sesshoumaru was entranced by it suddenly; he could feel his mind begin to unshield itself and he drew it closer and closer to his chest...  
  
He saw the look in Sesshoumaru's eyes....one he knew all too well. His hand shot out and closed over Sesshoumaru's, pulling it away from his chest. "Are you insane?!" he looked at the inu incredulously. But...he understood what the jewel could do to someone. "Sesshoumaru.... Let's leave it here.... buried in the snow where no one will find it..." He could feel the jewel beckoning to him and he closed his eyes, grimacing.  
  
He blinked and shook his head violently to clear if of the false images the jewel had put there. A hand went to his head and he breathed heavily. "How...did you...." Naraku's hand over his applied a little pressure. Finally getting a hold of himself, he stood rigid and glared at the jewel through his hand, hating it even more now. Never taking his eyes off it, he spoke: "Yes...Where no on will find it.. I will bury it here in this frozen and forgotten wasteland; but first, you must seal it--to stop any who might be of weak mind from being manipulated by its evil."  
  
Naraku tried to seal the jewel... but it did not work. He growled, knowing that because the jewel was once his power source, he could never seal it. He had fed it with his own emotions and spilt blood and now, the black aura around the jewel could never be sealed within it. He gingerly took the jewel from Sesshoumaru. "I cannot seal it... but I can set up a permanent barrier around it." He dropped it into the snow. "Take a few steps away, please." He waited until his request had been carried out. He held a hand out, palm angled down towards the innocently glinting Shikon no Tama. He set up a strong barrier around it--one that he doubted he could break. He looked back up at Sesshoumaru. "Now no one can reach it... The barrier is small, but it won't let anyone touch it."  
  
The inu nodded, "Good." He turned and walked over to where his swords had been disregarded. Picking up the Tensaiga, he easily put it back into its sheath, then walked over to the bloodied Tokijin. The blade was completely coated from hilt to tip in their blood; he grimaced. Sesshoumaru then picked it up out of the snow and walked over to a hole in the ice and proceeded to wash off the youkai blood. When its blade once again shone like a mirror, he stood up and walked over to Naraku, who had waited patiently while he cleaned his sword. "I am ready."  
  
Naraku nodded solemnly. Letting go of what he obsessed over for fifty years was hard.... He sighed heavily, glancing at the jewel once more. Suddenly, the cold felt horrible--as if it had been magnified. He bowed his head, folding his arms over his chest, thinking over what all he had done with the jewel, grimacing. But his brooding was deterred as a warm arm wrapped around his waist. He looked up and saw Sesshoumaru half smiling at him. Naraku smiled back slightly, "Let's go." the kumo said quietly. Sesshoumaru knelt down and leapt into the air, pulling Naraku with him. He turned to face the small island their battle had created and aimed the Tokijin down towards it. "Sesshoumaru... what are you doing?"  
  
"KIERU!" he shouted as he flooded his power through the sword and it spiraled down to the frozen land below with an unmistakable malevolence. It hit Antarctica with a force of a bomb, ripping the icecaps apart and setting many bergs adrift. When things began to clear, there was no trace of the blood-stained island; it had completely been destroyed. 'And now, the Shikon is on its way to the bottom of the ocean...never to surface again.' He turned to the kumo in his arm, "Let us part from this frozen Hades, my love; I do not wish to remain here any longer." And with that, he pushed northward, towards Japan. He felt Naraku turn in his arm, back to the crumbling wasteland. Sesshoumaru didn't look back.  
  
Foreboding... that's what he felt. No matter how reassuring his aijin's words were... he couldn't help but think that it wasn't the last they would see of the accursed item. He looked up at Sesshoumaru, smiling softly. He was already home....

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> A/N: lol..i keep getting reviews commenting about the sequel. Lemme just say that it's up and running, ppl! Go read it! And my sincere thanks to all who have reviewed, bows


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